Wildlife

Wild Stone Curlew Arable Welfare

Stone curlews are rare arable-nesting birds that require open, stony ground for nesting and depend on invertebrate prey, with conservation efforts centred on arable land management.

Key Facts

UK stone curlew populations recovered from 150 pairs in the 1980s to over 600 pairs by 2020
Stone curlews nest directly on open ground and their eggs are highly camouflaged
Agricultural machinery causes nest destruction without deliberate avoidance measures
Marked nest sites and GPS-guided tractors protect nests on participating farms
Stone curlews winter in West Africa and require good condition throughout the migration chain

Welfare Considerations

Stone curlew welfare depends on farmer cooperation for nest protection, which has been transformatively effective. This success story demonstrates what targeted agri-environment schemes can achieve.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes protecting stone curlew nest sites on arable farms
Donate to RSPB projects supporting stone curlew conservation
Record stone curlew sightings through monitoring schemes
Raise awareness of stone curlew recovery as a success story requiring continued support