Ireland Launches Curlew Headstarting Project to Boost Declining Population

Conservationists have launched a landmark initiative to save the Eurasian curlew from extinction in Ireland by importing 40 eggs annually from the UK for five years. This “headstarting” project, which released 20 chicks on Lough Corrib this July, aims to add 200 birds to the Irish population by 2030.

A Radical Intervention for a Declining Species

The Eurasian curlew, once a common sight across the Irish landscape, has suffered a catastrophic 98% decline in population since the mid-1980s. With only an estimated 100 to 150 breeding pairs remaining nationwide, the species faces a genuine risk of local extinction.

To combat this, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) have turned to an emergency measure known as headstarting. This process involves collecting eggs from wild nests, incubating them in controlled facilities—such as the Centre for Species Survival at Dublin Zoo—and raising the chicks in protected aviaries until they are strong enough to survive in the wild.

Cross-Border Collaboration with the Yorkshire Dales

The project’s most significant development is a new licensing arrangement allowing for the importation of curlew eggs from the Yorkshire Dales in England. By tapping into a more stable curlew population in the UK, conservationists hope to provide a vital shot in the arm for the Irish recovery effort.

This data-driven approach ensures that the importation of eggs directly supplements existing headstarting programs without negatively impacting the source population in Yorkshire.

From Airfields to Aviaries: The UK Context

The UK has its own complex history with curlew conservation, particularly regarding the intersection of wildlife and aviation safety. Recognizing this as a lost conservation opportunity, organizations like Natural England and the RAF began rescuing these eggs for headstarting projects in the UK, including on the Sandringham Estate and at Wild Ken Hill.

Headstarting Curlews in Ireland

As the RAF detailed, the success of these UK initiatives—which helped stabilize populations in southern England—provided a blueprint for the current Irish partnership. Chrissie Kelley, head of species management at Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, has been instrumental in refining the rearing process, using mop mums—floor mop heads that provide chicks with a place to hide—to simulate natural parental behavior. This high-intensity care has seen success rates approach 100% in captivity, a stark contrast to the low survival rates observed in the wild.

Monitoring the Future of the Irish Population

For the 20 birds released on Rabbit Island in Lough Corrib, the journey is only just beginning.

While headstarting is showing promise, experts remain cautious about its role as a permanent solution. As Amanda Perkins of the non-profit Curlew Country told the BBC regarding similar efforts in Shropshire, [The project] has started to stabilise the population, but it’s not the long-term solution. She described the process as a sort of sticking plaster intended to buy time while broader habitat restoration and predator control measures are scaled up. The ultimate goal is to move from emergency intervention to a self-sustaining population, a transition that requires long-term commitment from landowners and policymakers alike.

Unresolved Questions for the 2030 Horizon

Conservationists are also balancing the success of headstarting with the ongoing need to address the root causes of decline, such as agricultural intensification and habitat fragmentation. The program has committed to working with farmers to restore the wet grasslands that curlews require, but whether these habitats can be restored at the scale necessary to support 200 new birds by 2030 remains the central, unanswered question of this ambitious initiative.