This Easter weekend we celebrate Europe’s largest wading bird, the Curlew. World Curlew Day is April 21 each year and there is good reason for celebrating these elegant birds, which can be seen all along the mudflats of the Humber Estuary.
The UK breeding population of Curlews is of international importance, with around 30% of the west European population spending winter in the UK. Despite this, there have been worrying declines in the breeding population. In 2015, Curlews were added to the Red List on the UK Conservation Status Report. Red is the highest conservation priority, with species on this list needing urgent action.
It is no exaggeration to say that many parts of the earth will lose curlews over the next few decades. However, curlews are one of the species for which the Humber Estuary has been classed as an internationally important habitat and is protected in law.
Here in North East Lincolnshire, our natural habitat of mud flats is perfect for curlews, who utilise their long legs and curvy beaks for finding food in our thick estuary mud.
More than 1% of the Humber Estuary’s curlew population can be seen on the North East Lincolnshire coast. That number is likely to be even higher as they also use sites further inland, and they love boggy playing fields.
At Novartis Ings, one of our unique Mitigation Sites, there are flocks of more than 200 birds, which also use the agricultural land around. Loss or change of habitat has been a major factor in the species decline, but sites like Novartis Ings provide a safe habitat for curlews and other birds to rest and feed.
These tall wading birds arrive along our coastline from July onwards with their numbers peaking in January. A group of curlews is called a curfew, a salon or a skein. You can often spot them on football pitches along our coastline, looking for food in the torn-up turf. The oldest ringed curlew was found to be over 32 years old!
Their ‘cur-lee’ call is distinctive, along with their long, down-curved bill that has a flash of pink underneath. They use this curvy bill to eat worms, shellfish and shrimps from the mud flats. Due to their eating habits, female curlews have a longer bill than the males.
Once Curlews make it to adulthood, they are very hardy birds, but many don’t survive to fledging age. This is due to changing landscapes, habitat loss, recreational disturbance, climate change and natural predators. Curlews take 90 days to nest successfully, they need a variety of tall and short vegetation to provide cover and food.
Celebrate our curlew population in North East Lincolnshire by respecting our birdlife. Please observe safety measures to protect nesting birds from disturbance by following these simple steps:
• Keep to the designated footpaths
• Keep dogs under control
• Anyone using the coastline for water sports must stay away from the salt marsh and sand banks.
Want to know more?
• Read more about the treasures on our coastline in our interactive story map, Life on the Saltmarsh. Find it at Life on the Saltmarsh
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