Wildlife Conservation

UK Wading Birds: Farming, Drainage, and Welfare of Declining Species

Lapwing, curlew, redshank, and snipe have declined catastrophically as wet grassland drainage and agricultural intensification have eliminated their breeding habitat.

Key Facts

UK curlew numbers have declined by over 65% since the 1970s — one of Europe's most threatened birds
Lapwing have declined by 60% on farmland since 1970 due to field drainage and silage cutting
Predator pressure from foxes, corvids, and badgers is higher in fragmented habitat
Agri-environment schemes that maintain wet grassland and delay cutting have proven effective
Northern Ireland and Scotland hold the majority of remaining UK curlew breeding populations

Welfare Considerations

Wading birds nesting in intensively managed grassland face nest destruction from mowing and rolling. Chicks that cannot feed in drained soils starve. Adults displaced from suitable habitat must find marginal alternatives with lower prey availability and higher predation risk. Each individual bird's welfare is compromised when habitat quality declines — population trends reflect accumulated individual welfare failures.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB wading bird agri-environment and farm partnership programs
Advocate for higher uptake of agri-environment scheme options supporting wet grassland
Donate to curlew and lapwing conservation breeding and release programs
Engage with local farmers about sympathetic management of wet grassland and field margins