Stone Curlew Welfare Recovery in Arable Farmland

Stone curlews have recovered on Breckland farmland through targeted agri-environment management. Their welfare depends on bare ground patches and undisturbed nesting sites.

Key Facts

UK stone curlew numbers have recovered from 200 pairs in the 1980s to over 500 pairs today
Breckland East Anglia holds the core UK population on arable farmland
They require bare or sparse vegetation including set-aside and fallow fields for nesting
Nest sites on arable land are vulnerable to cultivation operations in spring
Farmers are paid to protect known nest sites under Higher Level Stewardship agreements

Welfare Considerations

Stone curlew welfare recovery demonstrates effective farmer-conservation partnership. Agri-environment payments compensating farmers for delaying cultivation around nest sites, combined with volunteer nest marking and monitoring, have driven the population recovery from critically low numbers. Maintaining bare ground habitats through fallow and rough grazing provides the open sparse vegetation this species requires. Their ground-nesting vulnerability to agricultural operations is managed through the nest marking scheme that identifies sites requiring cultivation avoidance during the breeding season.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB stone curlew conservation through donation
Encourage farmers to join higher-level stewardship schemes for stone curlews in Breckland
Participate in stone curlew monitoring surveys with RSPB and volunteers in spring
Advocate for agri-environment funding for stone curlew protection at appropriate levels