Guidance For Farmers Supporting Breeding Curlew On Their Land
Many farmers in England have a strong connection to Curlews, recalling a time when these birds, along with other waders, would rise in large flocks from their fields. Even a single breeding pair can be noisy and noticeable, so the decline towards extinction has gone unnoticed by many. There is a real risk that without urgent intervention, the call of the curlew could be lost forever from our landscape within the next decade.
Why Are Curlews Disappearing?
Disturbance during nesting and chick-rearing: Traditional livestock farming would have involved haymaking, where livestock and agricultural activity would have been excluded from fields for the long periods when Curlews nest and rear chicks.
Habitat changes: Changes in grassland management, arable conversion and afforestation have limited suitable nesting areas.
Loss of wet feeding grounds: Curlews rely on wet areas for food, which are becoming scarce due to drainage.
Predation: Increasing numbers of predators, particularly foxes and corvids, threaten Curlew nests and chicks.
How Can Farmers Help?
Curlew breeding coincides with the busiest period for livestock farmers. These birds are exceptionally secretive and sensitive to disturbance. Understanding their behaviour can help farmers minimise harm. A Q&A section follows the behavioural notes to address common concerns.
Key Actions to Support Local Curlew Populations on Farms
Observe Curlews: Notice daily changes and learn as much about them as possible.
Habitat Management: Preserve and create suitable nesting and chick-rearing areas.
Predator Control: Implement measures to reduce threats from meso-predators.
Agri-Environment Support: Advocate for and participate in financial support schemes for Curlew conservation.
Collaborative Efforts: Work with local farmers and conservation groups.
Ornithological Expertise: Seek guidance from specialists to enhance conservation efforts.
Maintain an Open Aspect: Curlews are sensitive to encroachment in their area of vision. Planting trees within 500m of known Curlew nesting sites is not recommended. Even within 1 km research shows detrimental impact.
In most areas it is a race against time to prevent populations from dying out. Each of the listed interventions are essential to prevent extinction in our local area within the timeframe.
Curlew Behaviour
Return From Migration
- Curlews arrive from February to April, preparing to breed by late April or May.
- Males return first to establish territories, followed by females.
- Groups of Curlews foraging together early in the season may include migrants passing through.
Territorial Behaviour
- Males set up territories spanning multiple fields which can be in multiple ownerships/managements mostly returning to the same territory year after year and sometimes to the same site.
- Pairs defend nesting sites but may nest closer together in favourable conditions.
- Nesting later can occur in areas with more human activity.
- Territories require both dry nesting areas and wet feeding grounds rich in invertebrates
Feeding Areas
- Adults feed on soil-dwelling invertebrates in wet ground.
- Chicks are self-sufficient (precocial), feeding on surface invertebrates before learning to probe the soil.
- Feeding sites are sometimes mistaken for nesting areas due to visible Curlew activity.
Mating & Nesting
- Males perform aerial displays and sing a ‘bubbling’ courtship song to attract mates.
- Curlews prefer fields without livestock but may still nest in lightly stocked areas.
- Nests are typically placed in the centre of fields, away from hedgerows and trees to avoid predators.
- Eggs are laid in clutches of three to four and incubated by both parents for 28-30 days. Nest failure at egg stage will usually lead to further nesting attempts.
- Disturbance during incubation can lead to nest abandonment.
Chick Development
- Chicks hatch sequentially and feed independently from hatching.
- Families move widely in search of food, preferring mixed vegetation and damp ground.
- Adults guard chicks, sometimes perching on high structures to maintain a lookout.
- Chicks instinctively hide in tall grass when threatened.
- Fledging takes about seven weeks, depending on food availability.
- Females migrate first, leaving males to oversee the chicks until they are ready to depart.
Key Risk Factors: Farming & Breeding Curlew
April to July: Key Risk Period
- Agricultural activity: Nesting and chick-rearing overlap with agricultural activities such as harrowing, rolling, fertilising and mowing.
- Livestock: High stocking densities and young, flighty animals may trample nests or disturb chicks.
- Quad bikes and dogs: These can cause unnecessary stress and disturbance of Curlews.
- Silage cutting and baling: Even after mid-July, chicks may still be in the fields and at risk.
- Predator attraction: Leaving fallen stock in fields increases predation pressure.
- Grass harvesting near nests: Uncut areas can provide some protection from predators.
Practical Steps For Farmers
- Observe Curlews and learn as much as you can about their behaviour to identify key nesting and feeding areas.
- Work with local conservation groups to protect nests with temporary electric fencing.
- Delay field operations if adult Curlews are alarm calling, indicating chicks are present.
- Adopt careful mowing practices, moving slowly and starting from areas furthest from known Curlew sites.
- Avoid leaving carcasses in fields to reduce predator attraction.
- Don’t get too close with farm machinery, for stock handling and with dogs. Opening a gate to a field with the tractor running will scare some incubating Curlews off a nest whilst others may sit ‘tight’. If you have seen Curlews exhibiting breeding behaviour in a field they are likely to still be close by possibly with a nest or young chicks.
Curlew Q&A
Q: I see multiple Curlews in early spring—does this mean there are more breeding pairs?
A: Not necessarily. Early-season groups often include migrating birds that will move on.
Q: I saw a single Curlew in February or March—does this mean it has a mate nesting nearby?
A: Likely not. Nesting usually begins in mid-April; a lone bird at this time is often a male looking for a mate.
Q: I heard Curlews calling loudly, but now they’re silent. Where did they go?
A: Curlews become quieter once they start nesting to avoid drawing attention to their eggs. If you saw them exhibiting mating behaviour, the nest is likely to be close to where they were seen.
Q: What should I do if I find a Curlew nest?
A: Contact your local Curlew group or conservation organisation to arrange nest protection measures.
Q: What if I see a Curlew with coloured leg rings?
A: Report any combination of orange, green, black and yellow rings to Curlew Country, and other colours to the British Trust for Ornithology. Make sure to note which colour rings are on which leg. The unique identifiable codes are inscribed on either a yellow ring in black lettering or a black ring with white lettering, although it can be challenging to read these without a high-powered telescope.
Q: When I see a group of Curlews in summer is this a good sign that chicks have fully fledged?
A: It is unlikely. From June onwards groups of Curlew gather to migrate back to winter roosts following one or more attempts at breeding.
Additional Environmental Benefits of Curlew Conservation
Managing land to support Curlews also benefits wider biodiversity, improving:
• Soil quality through healthier invertebrate populations.
• Water quality by maintaining wetland feeding areas.
• Flora and fauna in diverse grassland ecosystems.
