“We’ve had massive declines all across Northern Ireland, but I’m really proud to say this bird is still holding on and it’s still doing well in Fermanagh.”

Over the past four years, Amy Burns, RSPB Reserves Manager, has seen the curlew make a comeback to Northern Ireland’s Lough Erne.

Thanks to the EU-funded Curlew LIFE project, this conservation initiative has also helped the species thrive at Glenwherry on the Antrim Plateau.

As the project reaches its final year, Glenwherry now hosts 52 breeding pairs, and Lower Lough Erne Islands Reserve celebrated a record 20 fledglings.

Once widespread across Northern Ireland, curlew numbers plummeted by over 80% since the 1980s.

The Curlew LIFE project pinpointed five UK areas suitable for supporting these endangered waders, including two in Northern Ireland.

Farmers have played a vital role in restoring curlew populations, helping bring the species back from near-extinction.

“Most of our work is undertaken with farmers in the wider landscape, to ensure they get into agri-environment schemes that allows them to manage for species like curlew and get paid for doing so,” said Amy.

“And the work that we have done on the [Lough Erne] reserves is more intense, we get to manage it as a reserve.

“We have kind of similar-type farming operations. We have livestock out grazing, we manage the grassland, we remove scrub and that’s enabled those birds to thrive,” she added.

Katie Gibb, RSPB Conservation Manager for the Antrim Plateau, praised the visible impact of the project.

“Over the course of the Curlew LIFE project, we’ve seen 202 chicks fledge, some of which have already started to return to the breeding population, resulting in a 40% increase in pairs in just one year.

“This is an incredible improvement compared to the 116 fledglings recorded between 2011 and 2020.

“It gives us real hope, allowing us to shift our focus from preventing extinction to managing a recovering population.”

In County Fermanagh, a curlew returned to an island in Lower Lough Erne, with fledging occurring there for the first time in recent history in 2024.

Burns noted that the curlew’s success reflects the dedication of conservation staff.

“It’s rewarding to see all our efforts pay off with an increase in breeding pairs over the project and such strong fledging success recorded this year.

“The increase in fledglings shows that the habitat improvements we’ve made, particularly the wet feature creation, are making a real difference for the curlew.”

To celebrate the project’s achievements, a two-day international conference is being held in County Fermanagh.

 

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