Nest protection schemes for curlews use electric fencing and predator management to dramatically increase nest success and chick survival on breeding territories.
Curlew chick predation causes acute welfare harm and is the primary driver of population collapse. Each unprotected nest represents a near-certain predation event given current predation pressure. Nest protection schemes directly prevent this welfare harm while the population recovers. Individual monitors making a difference to a specific nest and its chicks represents welfare action at the most direct level possible.