Budget-tightening threat to stone curlew’s resurgence

RECOVERY: But the stone curlew success story could be threatened as funding is frozen. Picture: RSPB / Andy Hay

Population has doubled in 20 years

December 2010: Two decades of vital help from England's farmers has seen the population of one of our rarest farmland birds more than double. The recovery of the stone curlew is a great example of the effectiveness of targeted conservation action and conservation organisations working closely with farmers.

But, with conservation funding squeezed in last month's Comprehensive Spending Review, the RSPB is concerned that the recovery may be halted - or worse - as some farmers will miss out on payments.

In the late 1980s, there were only 160 pairs of this threatened ground-nesting bird breeding in the UK - all in Southern and Eastern England. This year 370 pairs are known to have bred.

‘Farmers have rallied to the cause'

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's director of conservation, said: ‘Farmers have rallied to the cause of the stone curlew, and the bird's UK recovery owes much to their support. Stone curlews nest in bare open areas, often choosing farm fields where their nests or young could be lost to routine farm operations. RSPB project officers help farmers to identify threatened and take action to protect them. We also provide advice to farmers using green farming schemes, including the Higher Level Scheme, to benefit this bird.'

The higher level agri-environment scheme is key to the stone curlew's future. It provides support for farmers to manage parts of their fields specifically for the birds. Dr Mark Avery added: ‘We target the right management measures to the places where it can make the most difference, and it works. For example, this year, approaching half of the stone curlews in South West England were on specially-created plots and these birds were slightly more successful in raising young than the rest of the population.'

The stone curlew is a dove-sized, long-legged wading bird. More common in southern Europe, the bird reaches the northern edge of its range in Britain, with most of the birds occurring in two centres: Wessex - especially around Salisbury Plain - and the Brecklands, on the Norfolk and Suffolk border. About a quarter of the population nest on MoD land.

Funding freeze could be a real setback

The population of stone curlews was up 11 pairs on last year's total. However, even more encouraging was their productivity: 240 chicks were known to have been successfully raised, compared with only 164 in 2009. The number nesting on RSPB nature reserves also increased from 12 pairs in 2009 to 17 pairs this year, and these birds again raised more chicks than the national average.

Traditionally, stone curlews nest in open habitats, such as heathland and downland. Dr Avery added: ‘Looking forward, we hope that we can get more heathland and downland into good condition for the benefit of stone-curlews. This will help to ensure that these retiring birds have a safe and secure long-term future.'

Commenting on the future of the stone curlew in England, Dr Mark Avery concluded: ‘We were pleased that the Government largely protected the budget for the Higher Level Scheme in last month's spending review, in the medium term. However, we are concerned that the recent temporary freeze in new agreements will mean that some farmers who were ready to introduce measures for stone curlews next spring will miss out.

‘This would be a setback to recent progress. Stone curlews are a good example of why scarce money needs to be targeted towards clear environmental needs.'