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 »
By Mary Colwell. Anthropomorphism isn’t such a sin; it is a reflection of a deep desire to connect with wildlife and to better understand the world of non-human life. We all do it, I bet even the most rigorous scientist will see a reflection of themselves in the wild world around them. I do. Spend
Blog post by Ellen Bradley & Phillip Edwards The impact that the natural world has on our air quality, our soil fertility and our water purity is, by now, well understood. But what about our culture? For millennia, the wildlife around us has been inspiring poets, artists and writers. Without the astonishing array of plants,
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 Ellen Bradley. Engaging people with the nature around them is a cornerstone of conservation. Britain has a long history of studying our nature and is the home of many world-class naturalists including Charles Darwin, Jane Goodall and David Attenborough. Yet many of our young people seem totally removed from the wildlife in our
The Junior Curlew Network – engaging young people with curlew conservation Read More »
Written by Alba Villarroya. Due to its geographical position and variety of ecosystems, the Iberian Peninsula is a place of interest for the birds. In the wintering season, Spain and Portugal receive a large number of Curlew that rest and feed mainly in the humid areas of the north and west coasts. However, the situation
The critical situation of Curlews in the Iberian Peninsula Read More »
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
Guest blog post: UK Youth For Nature. UK Youth for Nature is the UK’s leading youth-led network calling on the politicians & governments of the UK to take urgent action and tackle the loss of nature. We are commissioning a series of murals in cities and towns throughout the UK that speak to individuals throughout
