Wild Animals

Wild Curlew Farmland Decline

The Eurasian curlew is one of Europe's most threatened birds, with UK populations declining over 65% since the 1970s due to agricultural intensification and predation.

Key Facts

UK holds around 70,000 breeding curlews, about a quarter of European population
Nest success on lowland farmland is often below 20%
Eggs and chicks are highly vulnerable to fox, corvid and badger predation
Wet grassland drainage has removed key foraging habitat

Welfare Considerations

Curlew chicks that survive early predation face nutritional stress in degraded grasslands where invertebrate prey has declined. Adult curlews maintain large territories that are increasingly fragmented, increasing energy expenditure and reducing breeding success. The species faces a slow welfare and population crisis.

What You Can Do

Support curlew conservation projects such as Curlew Country and Curlew Action
Encourage agri-environment schemes that protect nesting curlews on your land
Advocate for wet grassland restoration and sympathetic grazing regimes
Report curlew sightings to county bird recording groups