Help sought for endangered curlew

The public has been asked to take part in a survey to help save one of the country’s most endangered and iconic species of birds.

BirdWatch Ireland is appealing to the public to take part in a creeding curlew survey and submit their sightings of this highly threatened species.

BirdWatch Ireland, under contract to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, is undertaking a national Breeding Curlew Survey in parts of the North-West, West, and South-West of Ireland.

The curlew, with its long legs, large brown body and long, down-curved bill, is one of the most iconic and easily recognised birds of the rural Irish landscape.

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Its distinct and evocative “cur-lee” call has been heard for thousands of years.

However, the sights and sounds of curlew in spring and summer are becoming increasingly rare.

Anita Donaghy, senior conservation officer with BirdWatch Ireland explainedthat since the 1970s, Ireland has lost almost 80% of its breeding curlew population, with perhaps only 200 breeding pairs left. “As a result of this decline, curlew have been ‘red-listed’ and become one of the country’s highest conservation priorities. Curlew are on the edge of extinction as a breeding species in Ireland and urgently require surveys to locate breeding pairs and target conservation measures to protect them,” she said.

Migrant curlews arrive at our wetlands in large numbers from July onwards, remaining until spring. However these birds are, in fact, from Britain and continental Europe and return to their breeding grounds overseas in spring, with just the small number of native Irish curlew remaining here to breed.

The aim of the year’s survey is to get an improved estimate of the number of breeding pairs of curlew in Ireland and identify important breeding grounds.

To take part in BirdWatch Ireland’s survey, submit your sightings of potentially breeding Curlew at www.surveymonkey.com/r/HDTZKY6.

If you have a large number of sightings, or would like to get more involved, contact [e-mail].

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