Wildlife Welfare

Wild UK Stone Curlew Welfare

Stone curlews are rare summer visitors to Breckland and chalk downland whose welfare depends on open agricultural habitats.

Key Facts

UK stone curlew population numbers around 400 breeding pairs, primarily in Breckland and Wiltshire
They breed on open stony ground and require bare or sparse vegetation for nesting and chick-rearing
Agricultural operations on nesting fields cause egg and chick loss without nest monitoring
RSPB and farmers work in partnership to map nests and leave field margins around breeding birds
Stone curlews winter in West Africa and face additional welfare challenges during migration

Welfare Considerations

Stone curlew welfare depends on close collaboration between farmers and conservation organisations. Individual nest protection through mapping and field margin management directly prevents egg and chick loss that would otherwise occur from agricultural operations.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB stone curlew conservation and farmer partnership programmes
Donate to organisations funding stone curlew nest monitoring and protection
Advocate for agri-environment scheme payments that compensate farmers for stone curlew nest protection