Curlews are shorebirds with long, down-curved bills that help them search for food in mud or very soft ground. Many migrate long distances, from as far north as Siberia to Australia and farther.

There are eight different species of curlew: the Whimbrel, Bristle-thighed, Eurasian, Eastern, Little, and Long-billed. The Slender-billed Curlew is critically endangered.

The Eskimo Curlew may be extinct. The last confirmed sighting was in 1962. A book and animated movie, Last of the Curlews, tell the story of this bird that may have been seen by Columbus when he reached North America.