Eurasian Curlew
VU

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

UnknownCRNPNTEUNTEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_curlew

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Eurasian Curlew faces severe population declines primarily due to agricultural intensification that has eliminated traditional wet grassland breeding habitats across Europe. Drainage of wetlands, conversion of meadows to intensive cropland, and earlier mowing schedules destroy nests and reduce invertebrate prey availability. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and shifting suitable breeding conditions northward faster than the species can adapt.

Threat summary

Habitat

Breeds in wet grasslands, moorlands, and agricultural pastures across temperate Eurasia, requiring areas with high water tables and abundant invertebrate prey. During winter and migration, utilizes coastal mudflats, estuaries, and tidal areas where it probes for marine worms and crustaceans with its distinctive long, curved bill.

FRESHWATER· majorMARINE· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Scolopacidae

Slender-billed CurlewCR

Slender-billed Curlew

Numenius tenuirostris

Unknown
redshank, common redshankVU

redshank, common redshank

Tringa totanus

Unknown
Imperial SnipeVU

Imperial Snipe

Gallinago imperialis

Unknown
EN

Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Eurasian Curlew classified as Vulnerable?
Eurasian Curlew is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Eurasian Curlew faces severe population declines primarily due to agricultural intensification that has eliminated traditional wet grassland breeding habitats across Europe. Drainage of wetlands, conversion of meadows to intensive cropland, and earlier mowing schedules destroy nests and reduce invertebrate prey availability. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and shifting suitable breeding conditions northward faster than the species can adapt.
Where does Eurasian Curlew live?
Eurasian Curlew occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Eurasian Curlew?
The main threats to Eurasian Curlew are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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