Landowners praised for curlew 'conservation breakthrough'
Farmers and landowners have been praised for playing their part in a "conservation breakthrough" on World Curlew Day today (April 21).
Curlew numbers in Ireland have declined by 98% since the 1980s, leaving the species at the brink of extinction.
In recent years however, new conservation measures have been deployed to reverse the decline of the curlew and other wading birds through the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) – a project funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine.
These measures include the use of “headstarting”, where curlew eggs are taken from the wild, protected and reared in a secure and safe environment until fledglings are ready to be released back into the wild.
Like many wading birds, curlew nest on the ground, which can make their eggs and young chicks vulnerable to predators. The practice of headstarting is a helping hand at a critical time in the life cycle of these birds.
Fermanagh
The Breeding Waders EIP confirmed that a curlew released in Co. Leitrim in 2024 has been discovered at a breeding site less than 50km away in Sliabh Beagh, Co. Fermanagh, where he has now settled with a mate.
This marks the first recorded instance in Ireland of a headstarted bird returning to establish a breeding territory.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “As we celebrate World Curlew Day, my department is proud to co-fund the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership in its vital work.
“This conservation milestone is a testament to the hard work of all those involved, from farmers and landowners to project partners and supporters.
“This is a very positive development for conservation, and we look forward to hearing more from the Breeding Waders EIP as it progresses.”
Curlew
Meanwhile Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan also said: “It’s fantastic to be able to share the positive news that our conservation efforts are working, particularly so on World Curlew Day.
“The curlew is such a special bird, with a distinctive curved beak and an unmistakeable call.
“Until recent decades, they were a common feature of Irish landscapes and the ‘cry of the curlew’ would’ve been a familiar sound.”
He added: “Today though, their numbers are in a very worrying decline and major efforts are being made to conserve the population.
“As Minister for Nature, I’m committed to investing in projects like the Breeding Waders EIP to help bring these iconic birds back from the brink of extinction.
“Collaboration, science and innovation are at the heart of this project and the return of this bird shows us that this approach works.”
The minister went on to praise headstarting, which he described as “particularly effective for ground-nesting species, as the eggs and chicks are so vulnerable to predators”.
Minister O’Sullivan added that we now have “powerful evidence that this technique can produce birds capable of surviving migration and returning to breed in the wild on the island of Ireland”.
The minister said that he would like to thank “all of those involved in this amazing discovery, including the Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and the Breeding Waders EIP”.
'Huge credit' to landowners
Owen Murphy, senior project manager, Breeding Waders EIP said: “These types of milestones are the reason many of us persevere in the challenging discipline of ground-nesting bird conservation.
“Huge credit goes to our landowners, our project staff and our project partners who working collaboratively, allow such moments to happen.
“We all look forward to watching this curlew’s progress as he starts his journey as a breeding adult.”
Donal Beagan, nest protection and headstarting manager, Breeding Waders EIP added: “This is a really encouraging first sign that headstarting Eurasian Curlew is beginning to have an impact on bolstering our curlew population.
“I am delighted to see that this bird has chosen breeding grounds in my own local area of Sliabh Beagh and am excited to follow its journey this breeding season and beyond.”
The project team, together with stakeholders, partners and local landowners, will continue to monitor the bird throughout the breeding season and provide protection measures to bolster breeding success.
