After a long period of steady decline, the Slender-billed Curlew is extremely rare, with only a minute and still declining population.

Britain's first Slender-billed Curlew is found in Northumberland in May.

Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris - critically endangered, possibly extinct (early 21st century?)

The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) is (or was) a bird in the wader family Scolopacidae.

Until recently, the slender-billed curlew migrated in large flocks between their Mediterranean wintering grounds and their summer habitat in Siberia.

The RSPB project: Slender-billed Curlew.

Slender-billed Curlews feed by using their bills to probe soft mud for small invertebrates, but will also pick other small items off the surface if the opportunity arises.

ARKive: Photographs of Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris).

Endangered species include Freya's damselfly, the dusky large blue butterfly, slender-billed curlew, bald ibis, Danube salmon, and the European mink.

These two articles prompted letters from Chris Heard outlining reasons why he believed that the case for identification of the bird as a Slender-billed Curlew was not proven.

There are now only two slender-billed curlews (numenius tenuistrosis) left in the world, according to the International Council of Bird Preservation (ICBP).

British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee: Slender-billed Curlew at Druridge Pools accepted as first for Britain (with photo).

On 9 August - 10 August 2002, and possibly for a few days prior to that, another bird showing characteristics of Slender-billed Curlew was reported from Druridge Bay.

In October 2004, another bird showing some characteristics consistent with Slender-billed Curlew, was found, this time at RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk.

The bird was identified by its finder, and most others who saw it, as a first-summer Slender-billed Curlew, one of the rarest birds in the world; however, this identification provoked scepticism from some quarters.

This bird generated considerable debate, with some observers, including Didier Vangeluwe, who had travelled from Belgium to see the bird, stating that they believed it to be a Slender-billed Curlew.

Surfbirds.com: The Slender-billed Curlew in Northumberland, 1998 - 'plate 164' - response by the British Birds Rarities Committee and more photos of the "Druridge Bay curlew".

Compared to the Eurasian Curlew, the Slender-billed Curlew is whiter on the breast, tail and underwing, and the bill is shorter, more slender, and slightly straighter at the base.

Early postings from Phil Hansbro (based on a conversation with Brett Richards, who had been to see the bird) and from Ian Broadbent made a strong case for the identification as Slender-billed Curlew.

The bird was accepted as this species (and therefore became the first record of Slender-billed Curlew in Britain) by the British Birds Rarities Committee and the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee.

Talking to past and present "rare men" Howard reviews some tricky cases from the archives including the never-to-be-repeated Slender-billed Curlew of 1998, which may now be extinct, and the fraudulent case of the Chipping Ongar hermit thrush.

Druridge Bay is best known to birdwatchers for hosting, in 1998, the Druridge Bay curlew, a controversial bird which was eventually accepted as the first record of Slender-billed Curlew for Britain, although this identification is still disputed by some.

Winter visitors include Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Marbled Teal, Greater Flamingo, Common Coot, Pied Avocet, Grey Plover, and Slender-billed Curlew.

The BBRC conducted a detailed review into the controversial identification of a curlew seen at Druridge Bay in Northumberland in 1998, coming to the conclusion that it was, as had been believed by many observers, a first-summer Slender-billed Curlew.

The head pattern, with a dark cap and whitish supercilium, recalls that of the Whimbrel, but that species also has a central crown stripe and a more clearly marked pattern overall; the pattern of the Slender-billed Curlew would be hard to make out in the field.

The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) is (or was) a bird in the wader family Scolopacidae.

ARKive: Photographs of Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris).