A recent scientific paper published in eLife suggest that the loss of huge mammals at the end of the last Ice Age, grazers such as Giant Elks and Woolly Mammoths, would have had a significant impact on the landscapes on which they had lived and on birds like curlews, which thrived on the open ground. …
What’s the link between mammoths and curlew diversity? Read More »
In the eighth of her ‘21 Wildlife Walks’, Mya Bambrick visited the Severn and Avon Vales to learn more about the Eurasian Curlew and its conservation – including walking with Curlew Action Founder and Director Mary Colwell, and Curlew Action Trustee Mike Smart. She also met up with Daniel Gornall, Research Officer at the Wildfowl …
In early August 2023, it was announced that the hunting of three species of birds – Eurasian Curlew, European Turtle Dove and Black-tailed Godwit – had been suspended in France until 30 July 2024. The three ban orders were signed by Christophe Béchu, the Minister of Ecological Transition. “Curlew Action is delighted that hunting of Curlews …
Curlew hunting ban in France extended until July 2024 Read More »
Mary Colwell, Mike Smart (Curlew Action), Rebecca Pringle (Natural England) with Dutch hosts Henk-Jan Ottens (Montagu’s Harrier Foundation), Gerrit Gerritsen (Birdfriendly Dairy) SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The Netherlands has long devoted attention to “meadow birds” (ground-nesting waders, notably Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Redshank, Ruff, and Curlew). One of the current leaders of the long-term research is Prof. …
Curlews in the Netherlands – lessons for the UK lowlands? Summary Blog Read More »
Written by: Mike Smart, Mary Colwell – Curlew Action Rebecca Pringle – Natural England We visited the Netherlands to see how Curlews are faring in the intensive farmland that makes up the majority of this small, highly managed country – can we glean any wisdom on how to help curlews nesting in the lowlands in …
By Mary Colwell and Russell Wynn Summary Finland has a human population of 5.5 million, the UK is nearly 70 million. Finland in 1.4 times larger than the UK. Most people live in the south of Finland. More than 75% of Finland’s land area is forested, but these forests are significantly different to UK woodlands, …
curlew action fact-finding mission to finland: May 2023 Read More »
Day 4 – Curlews in North Karelia It makes sense when you see curlews in vast peatlands. A large brown bird doesn’t look so big or stand out so much in the vast mires of North Karelia, in fact it looks small, and it blends into the background, camouflaged against the browns, whites, and greys …
Finland – Day 3. Linnunsuo wetland and Liperi to see the curlews in the nesting areas in the western part of North Karelia. The sun glinted off the freshwater pools, and the azure sky was filled with the sound of hundreds of little gulls and migrating barnacle geese. In the shallows were dabbling shoveler, teal, …
This morning, before we left Helsinki, we were hosted by Nina Mikander, Global Director of Policy for Birdlife International. She put on a magnificent brunch – a big thank you from Curlew Action! Our conversation was wide-ranging, from the declining status of ‘meadow birds’, of which curlew are just one, to the main threats facing …
Saturday 13th By Mary Colwell We are on our way to Helsinki! A small group from Curlew Action – Professor Russ Wynn (a trustee and ecologist/naturalist), Ellen Bradley (Manager of Curlew Action) and myself – are on a mission to explore the relationship between curlews and trees and predators, a complex but increasingly vital interaction …
The Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, is aptly named for having one of the longest bills of all shorebirds in America. Its plumage contains shades of light brown, speckled with cinnamon and a paler underbelly. Its curved bill is complemented by a long, elegant neck and slender long legs to help the Long-billed Curlew traverse through …
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 …
Photo by Annemarie Loof By Mary Colwell. I can’t think of a more Irish bird than the Curlew, that singer of bitter-sweet songs over fields and bogs that heralds the start of warmer days. Come April, the bubbling call builds into a crescendo of urgent notes, at once sad and ecstatic, and it never fails …
By Lottie Trewick In the latest Curlew Action webinar, The Cost of a Curlew, we took a closer look at the economics of nature. A complicated and sometimes controversial topic; some argue putting a price on nature is the best way to save it, whilst others regard it as another cog in the wheel of …
The Eurasian Curlew is such an important indicator of the health of landscapes, not just in the very western end of its range in the UK and Ireland, but right across Europe. This is a bird that breeds on the wet peat bogs of Southern Ireland and across the wild steppes of Siberia; it is …
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 »