curlew

Wading bird of the genus Numenius of the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. The curlew is between 36 cm/14 in and 55 cm/1.8 ft long, and has pale brown plumage with dark bars and mainly white underparts, long legs, and a long, thin, downcurved bill. It feeds on a variety of insects and other invertebrates. Several species live in northern Europe, Asia, and North America. The name derives from its haunting flutelike call.

One species, the Eskimo curlew, is almost extinct, never having recovered from relentless hunting in the late 19th century.