World Curlew Day is observed by various environmental organizations around the globe on April 21. It was created to celebrate amazing birds that don’t get as much attention as they deserve, raise awareness of the dangers that curlews face, and promote their conservation.
The curlews are nine bird species that make up the genus Numenius. They are easily recognizable by their long, slender bills that curve downwards and their mottled brown feathers. Curlews can be found worldwide; since most curlew species are migratory, they can be encountered in different parts of the world at different times of the year.
Out of the nine curlew species, two are classified as critically endangered (the Eskimo curlew and the slender-billed curlew), one as endangered (the Far Eastern curlew), and two as near threatened (the Eurasian curlew and the bristle-thighed curlew). Despite being widespread in some parts of the world, the population of the Eurasian curlew in the United Kingdom and Ireland has declined dramatically over the past decades. The main threats that curlews face are man-made; they include excessive hunting, habitat loss, and pollution.

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