Eurasian Curlew

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Numenius arquata
Malay Name: Kendi Besar Biasa
Chinese Name: 白腰杓鹬

Range:
Found from Siberia to Mongolia and northeast China with some populations winter south to Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: arquata, orientalis, suschkini.

Local Subspecies: orientalis

Size: 50-60 cm

Identification:
Adult resembles Whimbrel but is larger and has longer and gently down-curved bill and more uniform head with indistinct supercilium. Juvenile resembles adult but is smaller and has more buffish breast.

Similar looking species: Eurasian Whimbrel, Far Eastern Curlew

Habitat: Mudflats, sandflats and coastal wetlands.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2017)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Oct 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Eurasian Curlew at SBWR. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Eurasian Curlew at SBWR. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Eurasian Curlews at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Photo Credits: Adrian Silas Tay.
Eurasian Curlew at SBWR. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Eurasian Curlew at SBWR. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Eurasian Curlew at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Photo Credits: Adrian Silas Tay.
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Eurasian Curlew)
References:
BirdLife International. (2017). Numenius arquata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22693190A117917038.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.