Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew

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This Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew was prepared by Gylfinir Cymru / Curlew Wales at the recommendation of Welsh Government to promote the conservation of Eurasian curlew in Wales. The goals and objectives of this Action Plan can be achieved only if a long-term commitment is made to support the actions recommended herein. Alignment of these goals and objectives will require the continued cooperation of all four Governments in the UK. Within Wales, the shared resources and cooperative involvement of Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, National Park Authorities, industry, academia, environmental non-governmental organisations, farming unions and individuals will be required throughout the recovery period.

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The Executive Summary of the Action Plan is below, and the full plan can be viewed here or in booklet version here.

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• In common with much of the UK and many other parts of Europe, all of Wales’ grassland breeding waders: Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) and Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) are in significant decline both numerically and spatially – a result of a combination of three significant pressures: habitat loss, unfavourable habitat management and nest/chick predation.
• The Curlew is a highly migratory species in urgent need of coordinated UK and Wales conservation action. In the absence of contemporary survey data, estimates of the Curlew breeding population range from 400 (extrapolation from a small sample repeat survey) to no more than 1700 breeding pairs (extrapolation from Bird Atlas all-Wales resurvey). Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data indicate that the breeding population of Curlew in Wales is declining at a rate of 6% per year.
• Curlew is predicted to be on the brink of extinction as a viable breeding species in Wales by 2033. Due to the significance of this emergency, Curlew is now considered to be the most pressing bird conservation priority in Wales.
• This Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew sets out a framework to conserve breeding Curlew over a ten-year programme of action (2021 – 2031) and to stabilise the decline in breeding Curlew with the aim of preventing Welsh extinction.
• This Action Plan is designed to align actions for recovery with the AEWA International Species Action for Curlew (to be reviewed in 2025). The Wales Action Plan for Curlew will be reviewed and evaluated annually by Gylfinir Cymru / Curlew Wales (a Welsh Curlew action group), with a mid-term appraisal in 2026 to measure progress. Recommended by Welsh Government, this Plan is aimed at preventing the disappearance of breeding Curlew from Wales as the foundation of a longer-term vision to restore a sustainable population.
• The framework for action has been developed to internationally agreed standards including the monitoring and evaluation of implementation, identifying threats and measurable intervention/activities.