curlew
1
8.6
- noun
- /ˈkɜrlu/
:
aguja
- The curlew is known for its distinctive long, down-curved bill and beautiful calls along the coast.
- Eskimo curlew
Examples
-
Eskimo curlews migrated to their wintering grounds by an eastern transoceanic route.
Academic text (1992) -
The tires of the Subaru hissed on the wet tarmac; out of the darkness came the long call of a curlew.
Fiction book (1990) -
The sound that I love is the song of a bird called the Curlew echoing across the hills of northern England.
-
Its closest relative is the little curlew of Asia, which winters in Australia.
Academic text (1992) -
Then, from beyond the open window, came the long, bubbling call of a curlew, flying low over the fields beyond the garden.
Fiction book (1990) -
We do not know for certain where the curlews normally made landfall.
Academic text (1992) -
On days when warm winds blew from the south, the curlews and other migrants rested.
Academic text (1992) -
The precise route of the migrating curlews depended on the winds encountered during the journey.
Academic text (1992) -
Curlews strutted on the road in front, then glided away at the last moment into the pasture.
Fiction book (1995) -
From late August to early October, flocks of fat curlews, stimulated by cold northwest winds, swirled over the barren grounds and headed out to sea over eastern Canada.
Academic text (1992)
Synonyms
A wading bird with a long, down-curved bill like a curlew
Compounds
- Specialized
A North American bird that used to be common but is now very rare or extinct
A large shore bird from Europe with a long curved bill and a loud haunting call
- Specialized
A large bird with a big head and eyes that is active at night near coasts and wetlands
Surface Forms
Etymology
Curlew probably comes from an old imitation of the bird's call, like 'cur-lew'. That's a helpful memory: the name sounds like the bird's cry, which makes it easy to remember this shorebird with a long, curved bill.