Conservation Project Launched For Bird On Brink Of Extinction

Tuesday, 21 April 2026 12:10

By Daniel Maher

The project has been launched by Kildare South TD and Minister Martin Heydon, as well as Minister Christopher O'Sullivan

A project has been announced for the conservation of a threatened species of bird, called the Curlew.

Curlew numbers in Ireland have declined by 98% since the 1980s, leaving the species at the brink of extinction.

In recent years however, new and innovative conservation measures have been deployed to reverse the decline of Curlew and other wading birds through the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP).

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Kildare South TD Martin Heydon, have today welcomed the breakthrough for the Curlew.

It comes as today (April 21st) is World Curlew Day.

These measures include the use of “headstarting”, where Curlew eggs are taken from the wild, protected and reared in a secure and safe environment until fledglings are ready to be released back into the wild. Like many wading birds, Curlew nest on the ground so their eggs and young chicks are especially vulnerable to predators.

The practice of headstarting is a vital helping hand at a critical time in the life cycle of these birds.

The Breeding Waders EIP confirmed that a Curlew released in County Leitrim in 2024 has been discovered at a breeding site less than 50km away in Sliabh Beagh, County Fermanagh, where he has now settled with a mate. This marks the first recorded instance in Ireland of a headstarted bird returning to establish a breeding territory.