As hay and silage cutting gets underway across rural Wales, we’re reaching out to farmers to ask for your help in protecting one of our most iconic and threatened birds, the Eurasian curlew.
Curlew often nest in open hay meadows and silage fields across the Welsh countryside, laying their eggs directly on the ground. Their nests – and the chicks that follow – are extremely vulnerable during cutting. The loss of even a few can have a big impact on local populations here in Wales.
If you think there might be curlew nesting or raising chicks in your fields, we’d really like to hear from you. We can arrange for someone from our team to help check fields before cutting, and in some cases, we may be able to use the GWCT thermal imaging drone to scan for hidden nests or chicks.
Where appropriate, there may also be an option for support payments of £265 per hectare for delaying cutting to protect curlew, helping to balance conservation with the realities of farming in Wales.
What to look out for in your fields:
· Adult birds calling loudly, especially a bubbling or whistling sound
· A single bird flying up from the ground when approached – possibly leaving a nest or defending chicks
· Agitated behaviour, circling or calling when you’re near
· Chicks on foot – small, brown, downy, and very well camouflaged
To learn more about curlew and their calls visit the Curlew Learning Page.
Even a quick conversation can make a real difference. Our team is working across three key areas in Wales as part of the Curlew Connections Wales project and are happy to support however we can.
To report a curlew sighting, nest / chick, or to ask the team working in your area about field checks or delayed cutting, please get in touch via our website: www.gwct.wales/curlew.
Thank you for helping us give curlew a future in our shared Welsh landscape.
