The curlew is the largest European wading bird
Curlews are instantly recognisable by their long, down-curved bill, ideal for sifting through soft sediment like mud for hidden prey.
The curlew is the largest of waders, standing about as tall as a female pheasant. They have haunting display call which can be heard from February through July on wet grasslands, farmland, heath and moorlands.
Due to an increase in agriculture in upland farmland and moorland, contributing to the drainage and reseeding of former curlew habitat, curlew numbers have suffered in recent years.
Curlews are also at risk from predation on nests due to them being ground nesting. This means that both eggs and fledglings are at the mercy of predators like foxes.
The UK breeding population of curlews has been recognised as being of international importance due to around 30% of the west European population wintering within the UK.
However there continues to be declines in the breeding population, with Curlews added to the Red List on the UK Conservation Status Report in 2015.
So what can we do? Joining your local Wildlife Trust, who work closely with farmers and land owners alike, will kept to create Living Landscapes! These networks of habitats stretching across the country allow wildlife to roam freely, conserving species like our curlew for years to come.
Please like and follow to learn about the little guys like curlews and how you can support the organisations conserving them!
