Curlew (Numenius arquata)Where and when to see it in the UK
Resident · reporting peaks September to October · Sandpipers and Allies · BOU category AF
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Curlew has been recorded in 2,320 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (78%) in records to 2026. Resident in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in September to October.
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, NT)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 53% or more of visits
- High
- 24% to 53%
- Moderate
- 7% to 24%
- Low
- under 7%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74% | 14% | Very high |
| February | 77% | 15% | Very high |
| March | 81% | 16% | Very high |
| April | 66% | 13% | Very high |
| May | 48% | 9% | Low |
| June | 53% | 10% | Very high |
| July | 72% | 14% | Very high |
| August | 84% | 16% | Very high |
| September | 96% | 19% | Very high |
| October | 100% | 19% | Very high |
| November | 82% | 16% | Very high |
| December | 72% | 14% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in September
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| C63 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D30 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D31 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H16 | Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HY43 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY44 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY45 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY52 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY55 | Sea, off Orkney Islands | 100% | Very high |
| HY63 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |