Description
The Curlew is a large brown wader with a very distinctive long and downward-curved bill.
The upper side is brownish, while the underside is predominantly white with a slight pea-like pattern.
Its habitat is mostly wet meadows, where it uses its long beak to pick up earthworms and other invertebrates from the mud. It builds its nest on the ground, and the young are evasive, starting to forage for food on their own soon after hatching.
Prevalence
The breeding area of the Curlew is Central and Northern Europe and the central part of Asia, and it winters in the Mediterranean area, Africa and South Asia. In Slovenia, the species is an extremely rare breeder and is on the verge of extinction with less than five breeding pairs. It is more common during the migration and wintering periods.
Threat
The species has experienced a steep decline in populations in both Slovenia and Europe, which is mainly attributed to the intensification of agriculture and loss of habitat. Collisions with high-voltage power lines also pose a danger. For this reason, as part of the project in the Ljubljana Marshes, we will equip 2.95 km of dangerous power lines with warning markers.
Interesting fact
The Curlew is the largest European wader species, with females usually being slightly larger than males and having a longer bill.
