The unmistakable call of the Curlew was once commonly heard in the Irish countryside, writes Piaras Ó Giobúin
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Its lonely cry has been heard by generations of Irish people, inspiring musicians and poets alike.
However, we may very well be the last generation to hear the curlew as they return to their breeding grounds in spring.
The national breeding population of Irish Curlew has suffered drastically, with the number of breeding pairs reduced by at least 96% since the late 1980s, making the Curlew Ireland’s only bird on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This drastic decline has brought Ireland’s breeding population from approximately 5,000 pairs in the late 1980s to just over 100 pairs today.
At a local level this correlates to an estimate of only three nests in the entire Sliabh Aughty range in 2021, with only one known bird fledged.
Researchers have estimated that if we do not lend a helping hand the Curlew will become extinct as a breeding species in Ireland before 2030.
The Curlew is the largest of Ireland’s wading bird species. Its feathers are grey-brown with dark streaks throughout.
Curlew can be easily identified by their long down-curved bill which they use to forage for worms and insects in soft mud and sand.
More easily seen in the wintertime, the Irish population is joined by migrating flocks from Scotland and Scandinavia and flocks are often seen feeding along our coasts and on inland wetland habitats. From mid-March to early April, the birds return to their breeding grounds.
Ireland’s breeding-population moves inland to peatlands and wet grasslands where birds and their nests are well-hidden in the ground vegetation.
They tend to avoid areas with trees and scrub which can provide cover for predators. Each pair typically lays four eggs between mid-April and mid-May.
The chicks hatch between May and June and, if successful, are fledged by mid-July.
However, as a ground-nesting bird, Curlew are very sensitive to changes in their environment.
Loss of suitable breeding habitat due to changes in agricultural practices and afforestation has been the main cause of population declines. The decline is further exacerbated by an increase in predator populations, such as corvids (crows, magpies, etc) and foxes, that thrive in these modified and fragmented landscapes.
The threat of losing a bird so representative of our natural and cultural heritage led to the establishment of the Curlew Conservation Programme (CCP) in 2017.
The CCP focuses on nine of the most important areas in Ireland for breeding Curlew.
Each of these nine areas is assigned a local Curlew Action Team who work closely with local communities and landowners to protect Curlew nesting attempts and to improve habitat quality.
Our local team is based in the Sliabh Aughty range and are currently working to locate breeding pairs in the area.
The success of the Curlew is dependent on the co-operation of landowners and local communities so that the Curlew’s call may once again be a common sound across our countryside.
The CCP wishes to reach out to the public who can help save Curlew by reporting sightings to piaras.ogiobuin@gmail.com or by calling 089 494 0269.