Wildlife

Inland Wading Bird Welfare on Wet Grassland Farms

Lapwing, curlew, redshank, and snipe are declining rapidly on UK lowland wet grassland, and farm management through agri-environment schemes is essential for their welfare and survival.

Key Facts

All four UK inland wading bird species are on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern
Wet grassland management with spring flooding, late cutting, and low stocking density supports breeding
Ditch management providing invertebrate-rich feeding is critical
Predator management at some sites has improved breeding success
Agri-environment schemes specifically supporting wading birds have shown measurable benefit

Welfare Considerations

Inland wading birds face welfare compromise at every life stage: nests are trampled by livestock, chicks starve in intensively managed swards, and adults cannot access invertebrate prey in dry hard-baked ground. Restoring wet grassland management that meets their needs at landscape scale requires policy commitment and significant agri-environment funding.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and Wildlife Trust wading bird recovery projects
Advocate for ambitious agri-environment schemes prioritising wet grassland
Buy food from farms with wading bird habitat management commitments
Participate in wading bird surveys through local wildlife trusts
Donate to targeted wading bird recovery projects in your region