UK Wading Bird Decline and Conservation

Wading birds like lapwing, curlew, redshank and golden plover have declined dramatically in the UK, with habitat loss and predation being primary drivers.

Key Facts

UK lapwing populations have declined by over 50% since the 1970s, with the steepest declines on farmland
Curlew are now among the UK's most threatened breeding birds, having declined by 65% in the last 25 years
Drainage of wet grassland and meadows eliminates the soft soils that wading birds need to probe for invertebrates
Increased predation by foxes, corvids and badgers on nests and chicks has accelerated declines
RSPB and Wildlife Trusts manage extensive areas of habitat specifically to support wading bird populations

Welfare Considerations

While wading bird conservation is primarily a population-level concern, individual welfare matters too. Chicks of ground-nesting species are highly vulnerable to exposure, predation and disturbance. Adults in poor-quality habitat with reduced food availability face chronic nutritional stress, particularly during the demanding breeding season. Restoration of wet grassland and meadow habitats benefits both individual welfare and population recovery.

What You Can Do

Support organisations like the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts working on wading bird conservation
Advocate for agri-environment schemes that adequately reward farmers for wading bird habitat management
Visit managed reserves that support wading bird populations and contribute to their conservation
Report sightings of declining wading bird species to citizen science recording schemes
Support rewilding and wetland restoration projects that create new wading bird habitat