Curlew Welfare and Breeding Habitat Conservation

The curlew is Britain's most endangered breeding wader, with welfare and conservation inextricably linked to the quality of remaining upland and lowland wet grassland habitat.

Key Facts

UK curlew populations have fallen by over 65% since the 1970s; fewer than 60,000 breeding pairs remain
Curlews nest on the ground in upland moorland, rough grassland and lowland wet grasslands from March to July
Nest failure from predation, farming operations and disturbance exceeds 50% across most of their UK range
Long-lived birds (up to 30 years) with low productivity mean that even small improvements in breeding success have large population impacts

Welfare Considerations

Curlew welfare is dominated by breeding season pressures. Ground nests are vulnerable to predator predation (predominantly foxes and corvids), mowing operations and recreational disturbance. Adults flushed repeatedly from nests suffer energy costs and increase nest exposure risk. Chick welfare is particularly vulnerable — newly hatched curlew chicks are mobile but fragile, at risk from mowing, livestock trampling and prolonged rain exposure when their thermal regulation is underdeveloped.

What You Can Do

Support Curlew Country and similar nest protection initiatives that provide field-by-field monitoring and nest marking for farmers
Delay grassland cutting until after July 15 to protect curlew nests in key areas
Keep dogs under close control during breeding season in curlew habitats
Donate to the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts programmes working on curlew habitat restoration and predation management