Dublin, Ireland – On World Curlew Day, April 21, 2026, Ministers Christopher O'Sullivan and Martin Heydon celebrated a landmark achievement in nature conservation as the first curlew reared through a headstarting program has successfully returned to breed in Ireland. This development offers a crucial glimmer of hope for the iconic wading bird, which has faced catastrophic population declines of 98% since the 1980s, bringing it perilously close to extinction on the island. The success is attributed to innovative measures deployed under the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP), a project co-funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The 'headstarting' technique involves carefully collecting curlew eggs from the wild. These eggs are then incubated and the chicks are reared in a secure, protected environment until they are ready to be released back into the wild as fledglings. This method is particularly vital for ground-nesting species like the curlew, whose eggs and young are highly susceptible to predation. This intervention provides a critical helping hand during the most vulnerable stages of their life cycle. The program has now provided powerful evidence that this technique can produce birds capable of surviving migration and successfully establishing breeding territories.
This significant conservation milestone was further highlighted by the confirmed return of a curlew released in County Leitrim in 2024. This individual has now established a breeding territory in Sliabh Beagh, County Fermanagh, less than 50 kilometers away. This marks the first documented instance in Ireland of a headstarted bird returning to the wild to breed, a testament to the dedication of farmers, landowners, conservationists, and project partners involved. Ministers O'Sullivan and Heydon expressed pride in their department's co-funding of the EIP, underscoring the collaborative effort required to achieve such positive outcomes for wildlife. The Southern Environmental Law Center also reported on environmental issues today, with conservation groups taking action against the City of Sumter, South Carolina, for allegedly polluting the Pocotaligo River with PFAS chemicals, highlighting the diverse environmental challenges faced globally.