Curlew prefer wetland habitats, such as bogs, and wet grassland, as well as estuaries and tidal mudflats. For breeding, they need a habitat with wet areas for feeding, and dry areas for nesting.

The curlews' long, curved bill allows them to probe in the mud and damp soil for food - it has a very sensitive tip, which can detect movement and allows the bird to pull the food to the surface intact. They feed on worms, larvae, small fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, and will occasionally consume berries, seeds, and grain.

In winter, curlew will often be seen foraging on mudflats in large flocks.

Curlews lay 4 eggs in a clutch during April and May, and both adults incubate the eggs for 4 weeks until they hatch. Chicks will hatch between May and June, and will usually fledge by mid-July.

Curlew are listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List and are also red listed on the Irish Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland 2020-2026.

According to recent research, 97% of the Irish breeding population has been lost since the 1980s, with a survey finding that only 105 pairs remain. This is likely due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and predation.

Curlew are our largest wading bird, and can live for up to 32 years.

Their scientific name, Numenius arquata, derives from Greek, meaning ‘new moon’ and Latin meaning ‘bow-shaped’, in reference to their long, curved bill.

Since 2022, Fota Wildlife Park has participated in the Breeding Waders EIP Project Curlew Headstarting Programme. Headstarting involves collecting curlew eggs from the wild, incubating,
hatching, and rearing the chicks until they’re strong enough to be released.

Once they reach the fledgling stage, the young birds are returned back into the wild population, giving them a significantly higher chance of survival during the most vulnerable period of their lives. This process is only used in emergency situations, which, unfortunately, these
birds are currently facing.

 To date, Fota Wildlife Park has raised 85 curlew chicks for release in the wild.