Curlew

The Curlew is the largest European wading bird and is instantly recognisable on winter estuaries or summer moors with its long down-curved bill, brown upperparts and long legs.

The Curlew can be found around the whole UK coastline with the largest concentrations at Morecambe Bay, the Solway Firth, the Wash, and the Dee, Severn, Humber and Thames estuaries.

The greatest breeding numbers are found from April to July on the upland moors in north Wales, northern England and the Southern Uplands and Highlands of Scotland plus the islands of Orkney and Shetland.

Coastal numbers build up from July and reach a peak in January and February.

The Curlew is included on the Amber List as a bird with important breeding and wintering populations in the UK.

Date: 4th June 2008

Location: Billister, Nesting, East Mainland, Shetland