Curlews, lapwings, and other wading birds have suffered catastrophic population declines on UK farmland. Targeted agri-environment schemes that restore wet grassland habitat directly improve their welfare.
Wading bird welfare on farmland is primarily shaped by habitat and food availability. Curlews and lapwings that cannot find invertebrate-rich wet grassland for chick rearing experience high chick starvation rates and repeated breeding failures. Repeat failure is physiologically and behaviourally costly. Where predation pressure is high and habitat is marginal, birds that attempt to breed invest significant energy before losing nests. Restoration of wet grassland through agri-environment schemes directly improves breeding welfare outcomes at landscape scale. Supporting RSPB and Wildlife Trusts working on wader recovery is a high-impact welfare action.