The curlew is the largest european wading bird instantly recognisable on winter estuaries or summer moors with its long down curved bill brown upperparts and long legs. The new year honours 1990 were appointments by most of the commonwealth realms of queen elizabeth ii to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries and honorary ones to citizens of other countries. They were announced on 30 december 1989 to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1990.