Our Founder and Director, Mary Colwell at our World Curlew Day 2023 event in the New Forest.
Our Vision: A secure place for Curlews and the wildlife that lives alongside them in a natural world, rich in biodiversity, where people are informed about, and engaged with, nature.
Our Mission: Giving Curlews a secure future through advocacy, supporting conservation efforts, engaging with science and policy, highlighting the cultural importance of Curlews, and by promoting natural history education.
OUR PROJECTS
Curlew Action has various ongoing projects to support Curlew conservation. Click on a project's title or picture to learn more about it.
European Curlew
Many of the curlew we see here in the UK breed in other European countries including: Finland, Norway, Sweden, Poland and Northern Germany. To protect our curlew we must develop an understanding of the international picture and promote communication and collaboration. The Eurasian Curlew is just the start, there are eight species of Curlew around the world, Curlew Action would like to establish connections across the world to protect all curlew species.
Outreach and Engagement
Curlew Action celebrates and raises awareness around curlews worldwide. We give regular talks and hold events to promote Curlew conservation, such as our webinar series 'Conservation: lessons from the curlew'. If you are interested in having a member of Curlew Action speak at an event please e-mail admin@curlewaction.org. We also make educational films and podcasts, which offer different perspectives on Curlew issues from leading conservationists, artist, writers and scientists.
Supporting Curlew Conservation
Curlew Action empowers people working in the field by providing resources and connecting them with expertise. For instance, we are helping Curlew Country to resource their groundbreaking fieldwork and headstarting project, and we are working with the Curlew Recovery Partnership (CRP) to supply high-quality training courses and videos. We devised the Curlew Fieldworkers’ Toolkit, and in partnership with WWT made it an accessible online resource for anyone requiring information or advice on fieldwork.
World Curlew Day
Mary Colwell established World Curlew Day in 2017. It is a day to celebrate and raise awareness about curlews across the globe and a fantastic opportunity to tell their stories. Curlews everywhere are in serious trouble but there are many creative ways to help them.
Natural History Education
Mary Colwell, our Founder, has spearheaded the campaign for a GCSE in Natural History since 2011, which has now been confirmed by the department of education! The Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, and Tim Oates from the exam board OCR have been wonderful collaborators in pushing this through the right channels and getting us to this point. Everyone at Curlew Action would like to thank them for their support. Creating a nature-literate society that loves, understands and supports the wildlife of the UK is at the heart of what Curlew Action is about.
Please consider making a donation to support our projects.
The story of Curlew Action
November 2015
British Birds paper: The Eurasian Curlew – the most pressing bird conservation priority in the UK? (Brown et al. 2015)
April 2016
Mary Colwell walks from the west coast of Ireland to the east coast of England, crossing the entire breadth of the British Isles, to highlight the issues facing our Curlew populations.
Everywhere the story is the same: Curlews are disappearing, especially on their breeding grounds. They face innumerable and often very different dangers depending on the area, including changing agricultural practices, wetland draining, increased predation, afforestation, climate change, and so much more.
November 2016 - Irish Curlew conference
Following Mary's walk, she organised a series of national conferences. The Irish conference produced the Curlew Task Force, which became the Curlew Conservation Programme
February 2017 - Southern England Curlew Conference
The Curlew Forum was established at this meeting – a coalition of southern, lowland Curlew groups that meet annually to share resources and experiences. It is a unique grouping and highly valued.
21st April 2017
Mary instigates the first ever World Curlew Day, celebrating curlews across the world and bringing the stories of their plight to the public. Mary tells the story of curlews in her book Curlew Moon, which combines her walk with conservation and the poetry, music and art inspired by them.
January 2018 - Welsh Curlew Conference
This produced Curlew Wales which has become established and organised with a Wales Action Plan.
March 2018 - Dartmoor Curlew Summit - Convened by then Prince Charles
September 2018 - Scottish Curlew Conference
Organised with Working for Waders. It resulted in an increase in the profile of Curlews in Scotland and a closer collaboration with their outreach, specifically through Patrick Laurie.
July 2019 - Downing Street Curlew summit
For the first time it brought in politicians and national agencies. The basis for the Curlew Recovery Partnership were laid down. Read the summary.
2020
February: Highgrove Curlew summit. March: Supported by Defra, Curlew Action and eight other prominent conservation organisations form the Curlew Recovery Partnership (CRP). Together with a wide network, they coordinate the fight to save the Curlew by influencing policy and connecting conservation work with best practice and funding.
2021
Singer-songwriter David Gray becomes Curlew Action’s first patron, and the charity takes on a large number of ambassadors from all over the UK.
2022
On the 21st of April (World Curlew Day), the Natural History GCSE was confirmed! Curlew Action began our work to ensure the GCSE is a success.
MEET THE TEAM
Mary Colwell
Director
Mary is a writer, TV and radio producer and conservationist, whose massive walk across the breadth of the UK in 2016 helped raise the profile of the Curlew, and led her to write the greatly influential Curlew Moon (a must-read for any Curlew fan!). Mary founded Curlew Action in late-2019 after a series of talks, meetings and forums among experts discussing what was most needed to rescue the rapidly declining UK Curlew population. Mary loves long distance walking, camping, reading and cycling, as well as wildlife and storytelling, and it is her passion for telling the story of the curlew that has helped launch it into the public consciousness in the past few years. In addition to Curlew Moon, she is the author of three more books: John Muir: The Scotsman Who Saved America’s Wild Places; Beak, Tooth and Claw: Living with Predators in Britain; and The Gathering Place: A Winter Pilgrimage Through Changing Times.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Eider duck
Flo Blackbourn
General Manager
Flo is a zoologist, freelance presenter, and trainee bird ringer. She has a background in wildlife rehabilitation and promoting undervalued species, particularly urban birds. Her interests include bird conservation, bird migration, seabird ecology, rewilding, and engaging people with the natural world. She presented the 2024 Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s film ‘Why Not Scotland?’ and spoke about rewilding on the main stage of the Restore Nature Now march with Rewilding Britain. She is involved in various wildlife surveys and her local toad patrol, as well as rehabilitating urban birds when she is able. Her hobbies include birding, running, reading, playing board games, cooking, and doing anything outdoorsy.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Definitely a species of gull – but I can’t decide which one!
Megan Shersby
Digital Lead
Megan is a naturalist and science writer. She has worked in nature communications and the conservation sector for a variety of organisations and charities, including BBC Wildlife magazine, the National Trust, Dorset and Radnorshire Wildlife Trusts and the Field Studies Council. She has contributed to the Seasons anthologies published by the Wildlife Trusts, Into The Red published by the BTO, and BBC Countryfile magazine and website, the Live Science website, and produced episodes for the magazine’s award-winning podcast, The Plodcast. She enjoys moth trapping, going on trips in her campervan, and playing board games.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): It varies depending on what I've recently seen! Currently it's Swifts, which are now screaming above my garden.
Charlie Bingham
Outreach & Events Lead
Charlie is a writer who has worked in digital communications and event management for organisations and charities such as RSPB, NSPCC, World Land Trust and Birda. She has worked to produce the podcasting stage at Global BirdFair and managed large-scale science events. Her first book, The Life Affirming Magic of Birds, discusses the lessons she has learnt on her recent journey to reconnecting with nature and, through 12 bird species (including Curlew of course), she hopes to share her passion for the natural world and show people the beauty that awaits them on their doorstep, whether they are in the middle of a city, or rural countryside. She enjoys spending time in nature, musical theatre and exploring historic houses.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Pigeons – they're fascinating birds with a vast history, sometimes we need to remember to find the magic in the ‘ordinary’.
Curlew Action Patron
Introducing Curlew Action patron, singer-songwriter David Gray.
"I am delighted to become a Patron of Curlew Action. These are desperate times for wildlife, but the idea of losing magical birds like the Curlew from our landscape is just more than my heart can bear. Curlew Action are all about funding protective and educational efforts but on a localised level, and it‘s inspiring to see the difference that that can make. I’m extremely honoured to be involved and will be rolling up my sleeves with the rest of the team in order to try to preserve a prosperous future for these magnificent creatures.”
David has contributed to three of our Curlew Films, hosted exclusive events with Curlew Action, and highlighted Curlew awareness through his album Skellig.
Watch David's latest video with Curlew Action on our YouTube channel.
Professor David Hill, CBE DL DPhil(Oxon).
Chair of Trustees
David founded the Environment Bank in 2006 and developed the concept of biodiversity net gain, successfully implemented into law in the Environment Act 2021, creating the first global compliance-based biodiversity market. David also established the Foundation for Nature, co-founded the NatureSpace Partnership, was a founding member and previously Deputy Chair of Natural England, Board Member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, a member of the government’s Ecosystem Markets Taskforce, Chairman of Plantlife International, and founded one of the first environmental consultancies in the UK. He is currently a Board member of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, a Commissioner with the Food Farming and Countryside Commission, Chair of the Northern Uplands Nature Partnership and a Board member of the Woodland Trust.
David lives with his family at their farm in the Nidderdale AONB (the whole farm is dedicated to conservation) and they also have a small farm in the Yorkshire Dales National Park which includes part of the Muker Meadows Special Area of Conservation (a site of European conservation importance), listed as one of the nation’s 60 Coronation Meadows, an initiative instigated by HRH The Prince of Wales. He is passionate about Curlews and they breed on his land in Nidderdale and Yorkshire Dales. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours 2015 for services to nature conservation and the economy. He is an avid birder and wildlife photographer.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Bullfinch
Alison Sterling
Trustee
Alison started her career working as an actor, then quickly moved sideways into producing - first in the theatre, and later in film and television. Her prestigious career highlights include many critically acclaimed and award-winning short films, as well as two BAFTA nominations. She now brings her considerable organisational skills to the board of Curlew Action, and acts as a useful sounding board for any media and presentational opportunities. She loves film and TV, birds and walks.
Favourite bird other than a Curlew: Penguin
Tim Guilford
Trustee
Tim Guilford is a Professor of Animal Behaviour and a Tutorial Fellow in Zoology at Merton College, Oxford. Much of his current research explores how long distance wandering seabirds migrate, map and navigate across the open oceans. He serves on the board as both a scientific advisor and educational expert. When not studying evolutionary adaptations, he attempts to defy them via paragliders, sea kayaks, and an enthusiasm for caves.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Balearic and Manx Shearwaters
Rory Wilson
Trustee
Rory has been with Curlew Action since it was established, and joined the board in Autumn 2021. Having read International Relations and Politics at the Universities of Sheffield and Hong Kong, he served as a policy advisor in Whitehall, before going on to work in both applied conservation and conservation advocacy in France, the UK and South Africa. He holds a masters in International Affairs from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from University of Cambridge. He is an associate fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, a qualified member of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, and former forestry operative. He oversees project management and organisational planning at the charity.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): African Giant Kingfisher
John Miller
Trustee
John recently joined Curlew Action as a trustee in March 2024. He has a BSc Hons in Geology and worked in Global Executive positions at Dell Technologies in Austin Texas and MicroFocus in the UK. Having left the IT Industry in 2023, he now wants to devote most of his time to the environment and conservation by bringing together his business experience and deep love of the countryside. In addition to Curlews, John champions another iconic species in his work for the Atlantic Salmon Trust. He is also the founder of Mygardenspade.com (a heritage garden tool company) and is always willing to talk about how he manages his garden to regularly provide nesting for eighteen individual bird species at his home in Wiltshire.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): the very humble unobtrusive Spotted Flycatcher
Matt Howard
Trustee
Matt is a poet and environmentalist who worked in various roles for the RSPB for more than a decade. He is currently Manager of the University of Leeds Poetry Centre. His debut award-winning collection Gall was published by The Rialto in 2018. His second book-length collection, Broadlands, was published by Bloodaxe in June 2024. Matt is also an editor and events programmer. He co-founded The RSPB and The Rialto Nature and Place Poetry Competition in 2011 and was co-editor of Magma 72 – The Climate Change Issue. He has been poet in residence for the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and also the Wordsworth Trust. Since 2017 he has been a Trustee of The Rialto, and was Douglas Caster Cultural Fellow in Poetry at the University of Leeds 2021-2023. Matt was the recipient of the 2024/2025 Yorkshire Sculpture Park/Laureate Fund Residency supported by the T. S. Eliot Foundation.
Favourite bird (other than a Curlew): Lapwing.
Michael Warren
Trustee