This year, the Curlew Task Force, independently chaired by Alan Lauder has been established and the a Curlew Conservation Programme has been initiated.

This task force and programme aim to put conservation recommendations into action in order to save the bird from extinction.

The numbers that really count now are the number of breeding pairs and the number of young chicks that they fledge, according to the NPWS.

In the first National Breeding Curlew Survey in 2015 and 2016, some 124 breeding pairs were found in Ireland.

The Curlew Conservation Programme focuses on six areas; Stack’s Mountains (Kerry); Lough Ree; North Roscommon-Leitrim; Monaghan; Donegal; Lough Corrib and there are currently 14 seasonal fieldworkers employed directly for Curlew conservation.

Farmers role

In order to save this species and stem the losses, the NPWS has said that it will be a mammoth task involving many stakeholders, most importantly Government, local landowners and nest protection efforts working closely together.

Already the Green-low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is encouraging a number of farmers where Curlew are present, to farm in a Curlew-friendly way.

The NPWS says that further works are now needed to build on this and make a telling difference.

Habitat enhancement

Efforts are currently focussing on designing habitat enhancement works, in agreement with landowners where Curlew were recorded to breed in 2017.

It is hoped that this can at least in some way go towards providing better conditions for breeding Curlew in the spring and summer of 2018 and beyond.