Еуразия қызылқұйрығы: Құрдымдап төмендеп бара жатқан популяциясы

Species of bird

The Eurasian curlew or common curlew (Numenius arquata) is a very large wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred to just as the "curlew", and in Scotland known as the "whaup" in Scots.

The Eurasian curlew is generally wary. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season.

The nest is a bare scrape on taiga, meadow, and similar habitats. The clutch size of the curlew consists of 4 eggs which are laid in April or May and incubates them for about a month until they begin to hatch. It has been observed that curlews tend to nest close to common kestrel's nests, as they can offer protection from other predators, such as corvids, even though kestrels also predate curlew nests.

The Eurasian curlew feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates, but will also pick small crabs and earthworms from the surface if the opportunity arises.

Eurasian curlews eggs are predated by foxes and predatory birds. In addition sheep have been recorded by the BBC nature series Springwatch predating the eggs.

The Eurasian curlew was formerly listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, owing to its expansive range and relatively large population. However, the population of the Eurasian curlew was noticed to be declining at a very rapid rate. Following the evaluation of its population trend, the classification was found to be outdated, and it was consequently promoted to Near Threatened status in 2008. Though it is a common bird, its numbers are noticeably declining, The curlew is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. Research by scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology suggests that curlew populations in the UK have been negatively affected in areas with high levels of arable farming and afforestation which have reduced its natural habitats of open grasslands.