What Is a Group of Curlews Called?

Curlews carry an unusually large set of collective nouns. Buff is the most commonly cited general term. Skein and wedge, terms more often associated with geese, describe curlews specifically in a V-shaped or streaming flight formation. Herd and head are older, more general alternates, while salon is one of the rarer and more unusual variants on record.

Where Did the Name Come From?

Curlews’ distinctive, mournful, bubbling call gave rise to their very name (an imitation of their cry), and their collective nouns follow a similarly rich tradition drawn from the medieval “terms of venery” compiled in works like the Book of Saint Albans (1486). The overlap with goose terminology like “skein” and “wedge” reflects the fact that curlews, like geese, often travel in organized flight formations over long migratory distances.

Curlew Facts

• Longest bill of any European wading bird: the Eurasian curlew’s long, downward-curving bill is used to probe deep into mud for invertebrates other birds can’t reach.
• Distinctive call: the curlew’s name comes directly from an imitation of its evocative, bubbling call, considered one of the most recognizable sounds of British wetlands and moorlands.
• Steep population decline: curlew numbers have fallen sharply in parts of Europe, making them a species of significant conservation concern.
• Long migrations: many curlew populations migrate long distances between breeding moorland and coastal wintering grounds.

Example Sentences

• A buff of curlews probed the mudflats as the tide receded.
• A skein of curlews flew overhead, calling as they went.

Other Names for a Group of Curlews

Buff is the term most often cited in general collective-noun references. Skein and wedge apply specifically to birds in flight formation. Herd and head are older, broader alternates, and salon is the rarest and most unusual of the set.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a group of curlews called?

A buff is the most commonly cited term, with head, herd, salon, skein, and wedge also used.

Why do curlews share terms like skein and wedge with geese?

Both birds often travel in organized flight formations over long migratory distances, so the same descriptive flight-formation terms apply to both.

How did the curlew get its name?

The name comes from an imitation of the bird’s distinctive, bubbling call.

Are curlews endangered?

Curlew numbers have declined sharply in parts of Europe, making them a species of significant conservation concern.