Importance of the Curlew
The shores of Lough Neagh are home to the curlew, a unique Irish bird with its sickle-shaped bill and haunting call. But the curlew is in decline with numbers on the island of Ireland having fallen from an estimated 10,000 breeding pairs in the 1980s to fewer than 300 breeding pairs.
Ronan Owens, Ornithologist with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency outlines details of the decline of the curlew and why it’s a red-listed species of high conservation concern. He describes the curlew as being at high risk of extinction and discusses just some of the threats that make it so endangered.
Ciara Laverty, who grew up close to Lough Neagh is a ranger with the Lough Neagh Partnership, who, with the support of the local community, are putting in place measures to help protect the curlew and encourage the conditions to allow it to breed successfully around Lough Neagh. Seamus Burns from the RSPB explains why this work is so important.
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A challenging time for the curlew
Did you know there are only around 150 breeding pairs of curlew remaining in Northern Ireland?
Ronan Owens, Ornithologist from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency outlines the decline of the curlew and why it’s a species of high concern for conservationists.
Watch this short clip to find out more.
A much-loved Irish bird
Could you identify a curlew? Ciara Laverty from the Lough Neagh Partnership describes this endangered bird with its distinctive bill and haunting call.
Watch this short clip to find out more.
Community role in protecting the curlew
The curlew is under threat from a range of pressures including from habitat loss, wildfires, predators and peat extraction.
Ciara Laverty from the Lough Neagh Partnership asks the local community to play their part in supporting efforts to protect this endangered Irish bird.
Measures to protect the curlew
While the curlew remains at risk, Lough Neagh Partnership is working hard to restore the habitats around Lough Neagh they need to survive.
Ciara Laverty, Ranger thanks the local community for measures they take, such as keeping dogs on leads, to support LNP’s efforts.
Watch this short clip to find out more
What curlews need to thrive
Find out what is causing the decline of the curlew and the conditions this endangered breed needs to thrive.
Learn more from Ronan Owens, Ornithologist with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Understanding the risks to curlews
The Lough Neagh Partnership are putting in place measures to address the risks facing the curlew to allow them to breed more successfully around Lough Neagh.
Learn more about this work and why it’s so important from Seamus Burns from the RSPB.