Curlew numbers in Orkney are rebounding following efforts to reduce the population of predatory stoats, which are classified as an invasive species on the islands.

A culling programme, launched in 2019, has significantly reduced stoat numbers, resulting in encouraging signs for native birdlife.

Back in 2019, curlew populations had dropped by 50% over ten years. At that time, Orkney had about 12 breeding pairs of curlews per square kilometre. Now, following the removal of more than 7,000 stoats, that figure has risen to an estimated 14.5 pairs. This marks a 21% increase in the local curlew population—bucking the trend seen in mainland Scotland and across the UK, where numbers have continued to decline.

Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, said: “It is fantastic to see that the hard work of the project team and many volunteers is starting to restore a positive future for vulnerable species in Orkney.

“This is the first major population survey for waders since work started to remove stoats from Orkney and the signs are really promising, as we see declines for curlew reversed.

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project, responsible for the eradication campaign, says the use of lethal but humane traps, along with specially trained dogs, has helped in locating and removing stoats. The project currently employs more than 40 people.

Stoats were first recorded in Orkney in 2010, though how they arrived remains uncertain. They may have been brought accidentally in cargo such as hay or released deliberately to control rabbits.

Regardless of their origin, stoats pose a serious threat to native wildlife, including the Orkney vole, short-eared owl, and hen harrier.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) highlighted the success in Orkney, contrasting it with broader trends. Across the UK, curlew populations have declined by around 50% since 1995, and by 13% in Scotland between 2012 and 2022. The Orkney project offers hope that targeted conservation measures can reverse declines in vulnerable species.

 

 

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