Wildlife

Wild Curlew Welsh Lowland Breeding Recovery

Curlews have suffered catastrophic breeding failure across much of Wales and lowland England. Targeted conservation interventions are attempting to reverse decline.

Key Facts

Curlew are now breeding at fewer than 300 sites in Wales
Predation of eggs and chicks is the primary cause of breeding failure
Nest protection and management can increase productivity significantly
Curlew vocalisations are important in maintaining pair bonds and territory
Wales is developing a national curlew recovery programme

Welfare Considerations

Curlew chicks and eggs killed by predators experience acute suffering. Breeding pairs that repeatedly fail have prolonged breeding season stress. Conservation management that reduces nest predation and increases chick survival directly improves welfare outcomes for individual birds while supporting population recovery.

What You Can Do

Support the Curlew Country project and Curlew Action charity
Report curlew breeding locations to local Wildlife Trusts for nest protection
Advocate for agri-environment payments that include curlew-friendly management