A SCHEME designed to protect the curlew population in Ireland has proven successful as a chick reared through it has returned to the island to breed.
The wading bird has been on the brink of extinction in Ireland for a number of years, with population numbers decreasing by 98 per cent since the 1980s.
Conservation schemes have been put in place to reverse the decline through the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) – which is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine.
These include ‘headstarting’, where curlew eggs are taken from the wild to be protectively reared in a secure environment until the fledglings are ready to be released back into the wild.
The curlew population in Ireland has declined by 98 per cent since the 1980sCurlew nest on the ground so their eggs and young chicks are particularly vulnerable to predators in the early stages of their life.
A curlew which was ‘headstarted’ under the programme and released in county Leitrim in 2024 has now been discovered at a breeding site less than 50km away.
The bird has settled in Sliabh Beagh, County Fermanagh with a mate – marking the first recorded instance of a 'headstarted' bird returning to establish a breeding territory in Ireland.
The breakthrough was confirmed today - which is also World Curlew Day - by Ireland’s Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon.
“It’s fantastic to be able to share the positive news that our conservation efforts are working, particularly so on World Curlew Day,” Minister O’Sullivan said.
“The curlew is such a special bird, with a distinctive curved beak and an unmistakeable call,” he added.
“Until recent decades, they were a common feature of Irish landscapes and the ‘cry of the curlew’ would’ve been a familiar sound.
“Today though, their numbers are in a very worrying decline and major efforts are being made to conserve the population.
“As Minister for Nature, I’m committed to investing in projects like the Breeding Waders EIP to help bring these iconic birds back from the brink of extinction.
“Collaboration, science and innovation are at the heart of this project and the return of this bird shows us that this approach works.”
He added: “Headstarting is particularly effective for ground-nesting species, as the eggs and chicks are so vulnerable to predators.
“We now have powerful evidence that this technique can produce birds capable of surviving migration and returning to breed in the wild on the island of Ireland.”
Minister Heydon said his department was "proud" to co-fund the successful conservation scheme.
"This conservation milestone is a testament to the hard work of all those involved, from farmers and landowners to project partners and supporters," he said.
"This is a very positive development for conservation, and we look forward to hearing more from the Breeding Waders EIP as it progresses.”
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