Curlew is the common name for the bird genus Numenius, a group of eight wader species, characterised by a long slender downcurved bill and mainly brown plumage with little seasonal change. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills (Thomas, 2004). In Europe "Curlew" usually refers to one species, the Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata.
