The curlew is a very large, tall wader, about the same size as a female pheasant. Length: 50-60cm, wingspan: 90cm, weight: 770kg and average lifespan: 5 years. They have amazing curved bills, long legs and resonating calls, The eerie, call of the curlew is a recognisable sound of wet grasslands, moorlands, farmland and coasts. Its long, downcurved bill is an unmistakeable feature and perfect for probing the mud for prey. Curlews are one of our most charismatic birds. Its evocative call has been immortalised in the poem, The Seafarer, which dates back to 1,000 AD.