Species - Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Location - Kilnsea Wetlands
Grid Ref - TA 40491 16489
The ‘Cry of the Curlew’ is one of the most distinguishable sounds of the countryside, and with its long curled bill this bird is fairly easy to identify. The Curlew can be found in most places, I have seen it in estuaries, many RSPB reserves, and more importantly for me nearer to home on moorland in the Peak District. The below photos were taken from a hide at Kilnsea, near to Spurn Point.
The males and females look identical, with the female having a slightly longer bill, and the common name for the Curlew in Scotland is the ‘whaup’.
The nest is a bare scrape on meadow, and similar habitats. Each curlew lays between 3 and 6 eggs in April or May and incubates them for about a month until they begin to hatch. It has been observed that curlews tend to nest close to kestrel’s nests, as they can offer protection from other predators, such as corvids, even though kestrels also predate curlew nests.
The UK has about a quarter of the world population of Curlew, but in the last 4 years their numbers have dropped by 50%, and they now find themselves on the RSPB red list of most endangered species.
