The Eurasian curlew was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Scolopax arquata.

It is generally not possible to recognize the sex of a single Eurasian curlew, or even several ones, as there is much variation; telling male and female of a mated pair apart is usually possible however.

Flying curlews may also resemble bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica) in their winter plumages; however, the latter have a smaller body, a slightly upturned beak, and legs that do not reach far beyond their tail tips.

The curlew exists as a migratory species over most of its range, wintering in Africa, southern Europe and south Asia.

The clutch size of the curlew consists of four eggs which are laid in April or May, and both adults incubate them for four weeks until they begin to hatch.

[14][15] The Eurasian curlew was formerly listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, owing to its expansive range and relatively large population.

Though it is a common bird, its numbers are noticeably declining,[1] particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which have about a quarter of the global population.

[17] Research by scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology suggests that curlew populations in the UK have been negatively affected in areas with high levels of arable farming and afforestation which have reduced its natural habitats of open grasslands.