Today is World Curlew Day. Here are a few interesting (and sometimes depressing) facts about curlews.
Curlews are called “the whaap” in Shetland dialect
Females have longer bills than males
Red listed in UK Europe’s largest wading bird
48% decline in breeding birds in UK between 1995 and 2015 with declines of over 50% in Wales and Scotland
Wintering population in UK down by 15% UK has 28% of European population 60% of UK breeders in Scotland 
Listed as near-threatened globally due to declines here and in Europe Reasons for declines unclear but likely to include changes in farming practices, drainage of land, afforestation of upland areas, increased predator pressures from creation of edge habitats
Two curlew species almost certainly lost to extinction in last century: Eskimo curlew of Americas (last confirmed sighting in 1963) and slender-billed curlew of Asian steppes (last confirmed sighting 1995)