Wildlife

Stone Curlew Welfare: Arable Farmland Management in the UK

The stone curlew is a rare and charismatic ground-nesting bird dependent on open stony habitats and arable farmland management partnerships for its UK welfare and survival.

Key Facts

The UK stone curlew population has recovered to around 400 pairs following targeted agri-environment conservation
They nest on open chalk downland, breckland, and arable fields with sparse vegetation
Stone curlews are migratory, wintering in Africa and returning to the UK in March and April
RSPB and Natural England work with farmers to protect nest sites on arable land

Welfare Considerations

Nest destruction by agricultural machinery during cultivation is a major welfare and population threat. Disturbance from recreational walkers near nest sites causes abandonment. Predation by foxes and corvids at open nest sites causes egg and chick mortality. Agri-environment scheme nest protection, including marking nest locations for farmers to avoid during cultivation, has been highly effective.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes that fund stone curlew nest protection on arable farms
Report stone curlew nesting sites to RSPB to enable farmer partnership agreements
Keep dogs on leads near known stone curlew breeding areas on chalk downland
Donate to RSPB and local wildlife trusts supporting stone curlew conservation