As part of the project we are working with a farm business manager to assess the cost to a farm business of supporting breeding curlew. We will feed back the results of our findings to policy makers to try and ensure that outcomes based agri-environment schemes will enable curlew populations to revive and thrive […]
It is being discovered that much of the research in relation to curlew that is relied upon to inform management is now out of date. This year the Curlew Country project has purchased some GPS tags to fit to adult curlew with the aim of discovering more about their territories and local and pre-migratory
Grassland grazed by cattle and sheep can be more ecologically interesting than grassland grazed solely by sheep. Sheep tend to graze the sward more closely leaving a lesser area of habitat. Curlew are thought to feed on some of the invertebrates associated with cattle dung. The Curlew Country study area is much affected by
Once chicks have hatched they are fitted with rings and tiny radio tags to help us to understand better what chicks require until they fledge. This year, following the devastating chick losses of the previous years, the Curlew Country project has applied for a licence to incubate eggs returning them to the nest as
Blog by Amanda Perkins, Curlew Country Project Manager Thank you to the many people who have sent positive messages about the Curlew Cam. Unlike tree nesting birds observed by a camera, the natural departure of curlew chicks from the nest is much more abrupt and has left viewers wanting to see more of what happens to
Curlew Champions – Final Curlew Cam day Read More »
The eggs are incubated for about four weeks and the time from hatching until fledging is variable, but can be about 5 or 6 weeks. Food availability for chicks can affect the length of time it takes for chicks to fledge. Curlew Fact Curlew chicks will take 2 to 3 days to break their
Although territorial, adult curlews will still co-operate to fend off predators. As numbers dwindle and nests are further apart, curlew communities are less able to successfully fend off predators and more vulnerable to nest failure. We have seen a curlew pinning a crow to the ground and attacking it with its long bill. Curlew
Curlews return to local nesting territories from February onwards. Nests are usually started in April, but we are learning that a number of factors contribute to nesting time, including grass length of potential nest sites, access to good feeding sites enabling the birds to get into condition and the effect the weather has on
2017 is the third year of Curlew Country nest monitoring. In previous years cameras and thermal data loggers were used on over 30 nests to establish why curlew are failing to breed successfully. No chicks survived from the nests. Most of the nests were predated at egg stage and failed to hatch chicks. The
This nest was found by the farmer when out checking on his livestock. The Curlew Country project works in close partnership with farmers who are generally keen to support these birds if we find a nest on their land. Unfortunately curlew nests are notoriously difficult to find and this can leave nests at risk
We have noticed that local birds tend to choose grassland of about 30cms in length that is long enough to hide in, but short enough to look out of if necessary. Adults need to be able to hide safely as well as lookout over the vegetation during the early stages of nesting when they
Away from moorland and upland areas, curlew have nested in traditional hay meadows which are now much rarer on farmland. Their nesting sites may now be grazed by cattle and/or sheep, or in a crop of silage or hay. This pair are nesting in cattle grazed pasture with rush (juncus) suggesting that there is