Curlew Conservation Welfare in England and Wales

The curlew is Englands most urgent bird conservation priority. Breeding numbers have declined 50% in 25 years, with welfare implications for surviving birds managing in degraded habitats.

Key Facts

England and Wales hold fewer than 6000 breeding curlew pairs, a 50% decline since 1995
They require extensive upland and lowland wet grassland mosaics for nesting
Predation from foxes, crows, and badgers on ground nests is the primary proximate cause of failure
Agricultural drainage and intensification have reduced suitable lowland grassland for breeding
Curlew Life project and RSPB are trialling predator management and habitat management interventions

Welfare Considerations

Curlew welfare is compromised both at an individual level through failed breeding attempts requiring repeat nesting, and at the population level through inadequate recruitment replacing adults. Repeated nest failures exhaust breeding adults, reducing body condition through extended incubation and the energy cost of relaying. Habitat management creating nest sites with good visibility and reduced mammalian predator pressure through legal control and habitat complexity is demonstrating improved breeding success in trial areas.

What You Can Do

Support Curlew Life project work through donation or volunteering
Participate in curlew nest monitoring schemes with landowners in your area
Advocate for predator management as a legitimate conservation tool for curlew recovery
Donate to RSPB curlew conservation in England and Wales