UK currently holds approximately a quarter of the global Curlew population, with estimates for England of about 30,000 pairs. National monitoring data show that this population has been in long-term decline since the 1970s and has almost halved in the UK over the last 20 years. In lowland southern England, the population has declined to about 500 pairs, with many colonies on the verge of local extinction.
Curlews colonised Oxfordshire in the early 20th Century and by the 1950s there were 10 pairs breeding along the Cherwell between Somerton and Banbury.
In recent decades Curlews have continued to return to the BOS area each year to breed, but in diminishing numbers, with a maximum of 10 pairs in the whole of Cherwell valley and South Warwickshire, and only 50-60 pairs in the wider Upper Thames area.
Decline has been as a result of farming changes to earlier, multiple cuts for silage rather than haymaking, more intensive farming and higher sheep and cattle stocking levels. At about the same time reduced control of predators has resulted in more foxes, badgers, and buzzards. Development around villages has led to more disturbance by people and dogs. Floods occur more often and are more serious.
In 2020 the Upper Thames Wader Group (UTWG) was formed by a group of wader conservation enthusiasts from across the Upper Thames catchment area, including Otmoor and the Cherwell Valley. The group was chaired by Mike Pollard, BOS member and formerly our advisor on conservation. Jan Guilbride now represents BOS on the UTWG and organises the BOS Curlew Recovery work.
In 2021 the Upper Thames Curlew Recovery Project was set up by UTWG in collaboration with Wild Oxfordshire (who agreed to ‘host’ the project), RSPB, and Natural England (NE). Funding from NE over three years enabled the purchase of fence equipment that enabled us to put up electric fences around curlew nests to protect them from predators. Mike gave talks to local bird & wildlife groups to build awareness and support.
BOS was a key partner in this initiative with volunteers gathered from BOS members and other interested birders to form local groups of curlew watchers. In 2021 we fenced three nests and successfully fledged our first Curlew chick from a nest in south Warwickshire. Across the Upper Thames over the initial three year NE project, 55 Curlew nests were found and fenced. 85% of these hatched, and 36 young Curlews fledged. In other areas where nests were not protected less than 25% hatched.
See Wild Oxfordshire website for more details
Also in 2021, Curlew recovery groups around the country joined together to form the national Curlew Recovery Partnership England (CRP)
Wild Oxfordshire and Natural England continue to provide vital support for the BOS Curlew Recovery project. The fence equipment is stored and kept for use each year, and our local spotting groups have continued to look for curlews in the BOS area, and fence nests. Locations of curlew nest sites are not publicised to protect them from disturbance by the public.
In 2024 three young Curlews fledged, from the same farm that fledged two the year before. This work would not be possible without the excellent support of a number of farmers who are extremely proud to have Curlews nesting on their land, and have welcomed support from BOS in helping to protect the nests.