Website launched to track curlew movements

A website has been launched to help enthusiasts keep track of the movements of tagged Eurasian Curlews as part of the Curlew Recovery Project.

The project, which enters its third year and is funded by Natural England, has seen a coalition of organisations, including Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Wild Ken Hill and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), come together to take curlew eggs from local MOD airfields, where the birds pose a danger to aircraft.

Pensthorpe then hatches and rears the chicks at its dedicated facilities at the reserve in Fakenham. The mature chicks are released at Wild Ken Hill and Sandringham Estate in July and August, with a selection tagged with satellite trackers to monitor their movements. 

Data from last year's clutch of released curlews, which is now on the website, reveals many birds remain in Norfolk, particularly in The Wash, with some travelling as far as Brittany, north-west France, as well as Devon, Guernsey and Ireland.

The new website will allow members of the public to track Eurasian Curlew movements across East Anglia and beyond (Walter Schulenburg).

The valuable information from the trackers is analysed by the BTO, where experts assess the movement of the birds, how far they travel, where they settle, and establish what their food and habitat preferences are. 

The BTO's Dr Sam Franks said: "The data we receive from the trackers is extremely important, giving us a huge insight into their natural behaviours so we can decide how best to support them. The curlews shown on the Curlew Recovery Project's website are the 2022's cohort, who we'd expect to breed next year - it'll be interesting to see their patterns as they progress to that milestone."

Chrissie Kelley, head of species management at Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, added: "Protecting these birds relies on the help and support we receive from the public, so by launching the website and giving enthusiasts access to this information, we hope to create further awareness about this valuable species that has been severely impacted by habitat loss over several decades."

Pensthorpe is also encouraging members of the public to record sightings of Eurasian Curlews bearing yellow flags attached to their legs across East Anglia. 

To read more about the Curlew Recovery Project and track the birds' movements, visit www.curlewrecoveryproject.co.uk.