Wildlife

Wading Bird Habitat and Welfare

Wading birds including lapwing, curlew, and redshank have declined dramatically as wet grassland habitat has been drained, with welfare implications.

Key Facts

Lapwing numbers have fallen 52% in the UK since 1970
Curlew is now on the UK red list with 80% breeding population decline since 1970
Shallow flooding of wet grassland in winter improves invertebrate availability in spring
Agri-environment schemes targeting wader nesting habitats show population recovery

Welfare Considerations

Wading birds that cannot find adequate nesting and feeding habitat experience reproductive failure and gradual starvation of dependent chicks. Predation pressure in habitat-poor landscapes is higher because birds cannot distribute across suitable areas. The welfare dimension of population decline is the individual suffering of birds unable to meet basic needs in degraded landscapes.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust wet grassland restoration programs
Advocate for agri-environment payments to farmers creating wader-friendly wet grassland
Volunteer for wader nest protection schemes that reduce predation during nesting
Donate to curlew country and lapwing recovery programs addressing habitat and predation