Curlew

Curlew

The curlews /ˈkɜrljuːz/, genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills. In Europe "curlew" usually refers to one species, the Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata.

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Famous quotes containing the word curlew:

    “The tide rises, the tide falls,
    The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
    Along the sea-sands damp and brown
    The traveler hastens toward the town,
    And the tide rises, the tide falls.”
    —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1809–1882)

    “Now curlew cry me down to kiss the mouths of their dust.”
    —Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)