curlew \cur"lew\ k^ur"l=u, n. f. courlieu, corlieu,
   courlis; perh. of imitative origin, but cf. of. corlieus
   courier; l. currere to run + levis light. zool.
   a wading bird of the genus numenius, remarkable for its
   long, slender, curved bill.
   1913 webster

   note: the common european curlew is numenius arquatus. the
         long-billed numenius longirostris, the hudsonian
         numenius hudsonicus, and the eskimo curlew
         numenius borealis, are american species. the name is
         said to imitate the note of the european species.
         1913 webster

   curlew jack zool. the whimbrel or lesser curlew.

   curlew sandpiper zool., a sandpiper tringa ferruginea
      or tringa subarquata, common in europe, rare in
      america, resembling a curlew in having a long, curved
      bill. see illustation in appendix.
      1913 webster
see also:
numenius numenius arquatus numenius longirostris numenius hudsonicus numenius borealis curlew jack 
curlew sandpiper tringa ferruginea tringa subarquata