Wildlife Welfare

Wild Wading Bird Habitat and Welfare

Wading birds including curlew, lapwing and snipe face severe welfare and population pressures from habitat loss across the UK.

Key Facts

Curlew numbers have declined by over 50% in the UK since the 1970s
Breeding waders require wet grassland with shallow pools and tussocky vegetation
Predation management is controversial but reduces nest failure rates on managed reserves
Drainage and agricultural intensification have destroyed most wader breeding habitat
RSPB and Curlew Country restoration projects are reversing declines on some sites

Welfare Considerations

Wading bird welfare is inseparable from habitat quality. Declining populations face not only conservation threats but welfare impacts from failed breeding, food scarcity and habitat stress. Targeted habitat restoration and management provides direct welfare benefits to surviving populations.

What You Can Do

Support wading bird conservation organisations including RSPB and Wader Quest
Advocate for agri-environment scheme funding supporting wet grassland management
Visit managed wader reserves to support the conservation economy around these sites