Photo: Wayne Cheng / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Curlew
Numenius minutus
Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 173 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Numenius
- Species minutus
Where it lives
Patchily in subarctic taiga of west-central to east-central Siberia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 173 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Curlew hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Little Curlew is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL patchily in subarctic taiga of wc to ec Siberia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 173 g, with a wing length of about 17.5 cm and a tail of around 7.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 967,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Curlew?
The Little Curlew is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 173 g.
Where does the Little Curlew live?
The Little Curlew is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL patchily in subarctic taiga of wc to ec Siberia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Little Curlew belong to?
The Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Little Curlew eat?
The Little Curlew hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Little Curlew migrate?
The Little Curlew is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Little Curlew endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Little Curlew make?
1 real field recording of the Little Curlew — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Curlew's range?
The Little Curlew has a mapped global range of about 967,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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