Slender-billed curlew

The slender-billed curlew is a distinctive bird belonging to the wader family, Scolopacidae. This small curlew breeds in Siberia and winters around the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, it is critically endangered, with fewer than 50 adult birds estimated to remain in the wild.

This decline is primarily due to excessive hunting in their wintering areas and the loss of their natural habitat. The last well-documented nest was recorded in 1924, and since then, sightings have been exceedingly rare. Although some reports of sightings have emerged in various locations, conclusive evidence of their continued existence is lacking.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the slender-billed curlew as critically endangered, with only one known subpopulation. Conservation efforts are ongoing to monitor and protect this species from extinction.