Have you seen a Curlew?

The Curlew Wales Group needs you to report sightings from anywhere in Wales during the breeding season (March-July) to assess their numbers and improve their conservation.

The Curlew, with its long legs, large brown body and long, down-curved bill, is one of the most iconic and easily recognised birds of the Welsh landscape. Its distinct and evocative spring 'cour-eee' call, from which it gets its common name, is fast becoming rare.

Since 1993, the population in Wales has fallen by over 90% and is falling by 5% every year, with country-level extinction threatened by 2033. The population is now estimated to be 400-600 breeding pairs. Curlews are rapidly edging towards extinction as a breeding species in Wales and we urgently require information to locate breeding pairs and target conservation measures to protect them.

This may come as a surprise to those who regularly see large flocks of Curlew. The UK supports a third of the world population in winter. Birds on the Welsh coast in winter breed in other parts of the UK and continental Europe, arriving as early as August and remaining until spring.

Taking Part

We would like you to report where you've seen or heard Curlew. To do this you'll need to either Log In or Register (which will only take a couple of minutes) to our Online Recording System. Then choose Enter Records and the Curlew Wales Project, filling in as much detail as possible about what you've seen.

If you have binoculars, please check those lovely legs for colour rings - these can be reported here. Help with reporting more information can be found on the BTO website.

To find out more about the work of Curlew Wales, including the Recovery Plan, Important Curlew Areas and local projects, visit the Curlew Wales website.

The information will be used to determine how many breeding pairs we have and where they are, to help us develop conservation measures for this enigmatic and well-loved species.