curlew

curlew

curlew , common name for large shore birds of both hemispheres, generally brown and buff in color and with decurved bills. There are eight species, belonging to the genus Numenius. The long-billed curlew, N. americanus, its bill almost one third the body length (about 2 ft/61 cm), is now rare in the E United States; it frequents salt marshes, prairies, and tidal creeks in the West. In summer it eats locusts and other injurious insects. The Hudsonian and the nearly extinct Eskimo curlews migrate from arctic breeding grounds to South America. The bristle-thighed curlew summers and nests in Alaska and winters on South Pacific islands, where it feeds on the eggs of other birds. The curlew makes a nonstop flight between breeding grounds. Some of the godwits and ibises are called curlews. Curlews are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Charadriiformes, family Scolopacidae.

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"curlew." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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curlew

cur·lew / ˈkərˌloō; ˈkərlˌyoō/ • n. (pl. same or curlews ) a large wading bird (genus Numenius) of the sandpiper family, with a long down-curved bill and brown streaked plumage. Its several species include the North American long-billed curlew (N. americanus).

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"curlew." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"curlew." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-curlew.html

"curlew." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-curlew.html

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curlew

curlew Long-legged wading bird with a down-curved bill and mottled brown plumage. Often migrating long distances, it feeds on small animals, insects and seeds, and nests on the ground, laying two to four eggs. Length: to 48–62cm (19–25in). Species Numenius arquata.

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"curlew." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"curlew." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-curlew.html

"curlew." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-curlew.html

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curlew

curlew †quail; wading bird with musical cry. XIV. ME. cor-, curlu(e) — (O)F. courlieu, var. of courlis, orig. imit. of the bird's cry, but prob. assim. to OF. courliu courier, messenger, f. courre run (cf. CURRENT), lieu place :- L. locus (cf. LOCAL).

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T. F. HOAD. "curlew." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "curlew." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-curlew.html

T. F. HOAD. "curlew." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-curlew.html

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curlews

curlews
1. See SCOLOPACIDAE.

2. (stone-curlew) See BURHINDIAE.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "curlews." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "curlews." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-curlews.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "curlews." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-curlews.html

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curlew

curlew •Yalu • igloo • Oulu •Honolulu, KwaZulu, lulu, Zulu •Pagalu • Angelou • ormolu •superglue • curlew

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"curlew." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"curlew." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-curlew.html

"curlew." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-curlew.html

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