Wildlife

Wild Curlew Upland Breeding Welfare

Eurasian curlew populations have collapsed in upland Britain, with nest failure from predation and habitat loss causing welfare harms at individual and population scale.

Key Facts

UK curlew numbers have declined by 65% over the past 25 years
Curlews are now red-listed as the UK's most threatened breeding bird
Nest predation by foxes crows and badgers is the leading cause of breeding failure
Curlew Conservation Programme nest protection schemes have tripled hatching success
Afforestation of upland breeding areas has eliminated populations from large areas

Welfare Considerations

Curlew breeding failures caused by predation represent welfare harms to dependent chicks and energy-investing adults. Adult curlews defending nests against predators experience intense stress responses. The collapse of breeding populations means individual curlews investing energy in long-distance migration arrive at degraded breeding grounds and fail to produce offspring.

What You Can Do

Support the Curlew Conservation Programme through donation
Advocate for upland management schemes that include curlew-friendly habitat
Participate in curlew nest monitoring volunteer schemes
Support legal predator management where it protects curlew nests
Oppose further afforestation of known curlew breeding areas