The Curlew Connections Wales team are celebrating the arrival of the first Eurasian Curlew chicks of the 2025 season in the South Clwydian Hills and Dee Valley.
This comes as a significant milestone for one of the UK’s most endangered bird species which has seen its numbers in Wales drop by over 80% since the 1990’s.
Commonly known as Europe’s largest wading bird, the Curlew is easily recognised by its long, curved bill and distinctive bubbling call. Once a common sight across Welsh uplands and wet grasslands, the curlew population has dramatically declined due to only being able to raise one chick every four years, which is far too low to sustain their population.
Working alongside local farmers and landowners, the Curlew Connections Wales team have been working hard to protect these rare ground-nesting birds by monitoring known nesting sites on the moorlands in North East Wales.
To give the nests the best chance of success, methods such as temporary electric fencing has been used to keep predators and farm animals away from the vulnerable eggs.
This simple but effective measure is already making a big difference, with 12 nests being protected by the fencing this year, which is a significant increase from 4 nests fenced last year.
Jillian Howe, Community and Engagement Officer at Curlew Connections Wales said:
“The arrival of these first chicks is very encouraging, as it shows that with community support and targeted protection, we can give curlew chicks a better chance to survive and help reverse their decline.”
Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Biodiversity Champion, said:
“To hear of these Curlew chicks hatching in Denbighshire is a testament to the important work that our dedicated officers and partners do to ensure the protection of these red listed species. Without urgent action, the possibility that Curlew’s could be extinct from Wales entirely by 2033 is a harsh reality. However, these early hatches are a positive sign for this iconic bird and a hopeful step forward for curlew conservation in Wales”.
If you see or hear a curlew in the project area, contact our Curlew Connections Wales Officer at: samantha.kenyon@denbighshire.gov.uk or for more information visit: www.gwct.wales/curlew-connections/
