Founder and Director of Curlew Action Mary Colwell has been awarded the ZSL Silver Medal, for outstanding contributions to the understanding and appreciation of zoology. Professor Jim Smith FRS, President of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), says: Members of the Committee were unanimous in their decision that you are a richly deserving winner for […]
Sometimes it helps to set aside a day to shine a light on something important, and for a number of reasons I chose April 21st for World Curlew Day. It happens to be the birthday of my environmental hero, John Muir, who was born in 1838. It is the average first laying date for curlews
The aptly named Little Curlew (Numenius minutus), is the smallest of the Curlew species. Its long neck and upright posture give it an elegant appearance as it walks through the grasslands it inhabits on its slender blue-grey legs. Its upper body is speckled with buff, brown and black feathers, whilst its lower body has a
The Far-Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis, is the largest migratory shorebird in the world. Its iconic curved bill is well known across the many countries that span the East Asian and Australasian Flyway. Its famous call is similar to that of the Eurasian curlew, but noticeably deeper in tone. Despite its status as a well-loved bird
In October 2022, we held a webinar on Curlews and Predators. The predation of Curlew eggs and chicks is one of the leading causes of the species’ decline. It is an emotive and complicated topic to discuss, but it is important these discussions are held so that we can get closer to the solution of
Mary Colwell is the Founder and Director of Curlew Action. She has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the plight of the Curlew. For eleven years, she spearheaded the campaign for a GCSE in Natural History, which was confirmed earlier this year and will be in schools from September 2025. The team at Curlew Action
Anyone who has heard the call of the Curlew knows they are worth protecting in their own right, their evocative, eerie cry across a moor or a mudflat belongs to the soul of our wild places. To add to their significance as an iconic and much loved British bird, they are what is known as
Umbrella species: why saving curlew helps more than curlew Read More »
“A GCSE in Natural History is a unique opportunity for young people to engage with wildlife in a structured, guided way, to learn the skills of a naturalist at a time when we need them more than ever. I am so delighted it is, at last, a reality.” – Mary Colwell At a meeting of
A small charity’s mission to save Britain’s most precious bird. Globally, we’ve lost 50% of our wildlife, and Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Our intensively managed islands are forcing nature to survive at the fringes of human development, and wildlife must adapt rapidly to changing landscapes. Over the
Written by Charlotte Varela. Illustration by Jessica Holm. From lapwings in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to the titular raven in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, birds have long acted as inspiration for literature. Some are used to evoke a sense of freedom and wildness while others are an ill-omen, foreshadowing tragedy. The curlew, however, has long evoked a
Written by Steph Smith. Please be gentle, this is my first “Blog” and I am completely out of my comfort zone!!!! My relationship with Curlews began early, through my dad. My dad, by his own admission was not the most academic of men, but he had taught me to skin a rabbit, catch and clean a
Written by Alice Weaver. Let me start off by saying that this last two years have been great for connecting people with nature; although the pandemic has been terrible it has been a very steep learning curve to why we truly value the world around us. This valuation of nature should have been something instilled
Embedding natural history into our own, and our children’s, education Read More »
Written by Ellie Martin, 2nd year BSc (Hons) Zoology student at Hartpury University Four years ago, the Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) was deemed near threatened on the IUCN Red List (2017), and even then, populations were seen to be decreasing. It is hard to know the current status of Curlews due to a lack of recent
Written by Charlotte Varela. Photo credit: Tim Melling It’s hard to believe that, until relatively recently, I had never even heard of curlews. My love affair began with another love affair, 12 years ago, when I met my partner Matthew. He lived in the countryside and would take us on long nature walks across the
Written by Katy Ellis. Photo credit: Dan Cox As an Ecology student, I am interested in how the planet’s organisms interact with one another and their environment. Understanding the ecology of something, be it bird, bush or beetle, is vital if we are to inspire people in the importance of protecting it. Though marine and
Written by Rosie Holdsworth. I did a big silly run recently, and it gave me plenty of time to think a lot about Curlews. They’ve recently returned to my neck of the woods to nest and, as usual, their presence has lifted my spirits and reminded me that summer’s not too far away. However, their
Conflicts in conservation – is our love of nature a threat to wildlife? Read More »
Written by Chris Platt. Natural history covers so many walks of life ranging from science, to community engagement, to wellbeing. It branches into every part of our lives and affects the delicate balance of the natural world. It’s for this reason that the need to educate people about natural history and conservation is so important.
Creating future naturalists: why is natural history education so important? Read More »