Nine curlew were released from Lough Ree in mid-July of this year, followed by another six from Lough Corrib on 25 July as part of a new 'headstarting' programme.

For the programme, launched earlier this year, curlew eggs were located, gathered and brought to Fota Wildlife Park in Cork for incubation and hatching before being returned to the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) team for phased release back to the wild.

The two release sites at Lough Ree and Lough Corrib were chosen for their long-standing predation risk management, natural water boundaries and traditional farming practices.

These conditions support rich biodiversity and provide an ideal environment for young curlew to thrive.

The presence of other wader species in these areas also helps the juveniles learn key behaviours such as roosting and migration.

'Headstarting' is an emergency conservation measure, used when species face critical population declines.

Controlled environment

It involves collecting eggs from the wild and rearing the chicks in a controlled environment until they are strong enough to be released, significantly increasing their chances of survival during the most vulnerable stage of their lives.

With only an estimated 100 breeding pairs of curlew remaining in Ireland, 'headstarting' is a vital intervention to guarantee productivity and help drive population stability.

Senior project manager of the Breeding Waders EIP Owen Murphy said that stabilising and restoring the Irish breeding curlew population will only be achieved by adhering to the concept of collaborative conservation.

This is a conservation effort that sees all interested parties and stakeholders working together to help drive success.

The release of 15 fledged young birds into the wild in 2025 was made possible because of strong working relationships between landowners, project staff, project partners, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Department of Agriculture and local communities, he said.

Eggs were located through a combination of ground monitoring by nest protection officers and field surveyors, along with the use of thermal imaging drones, operated with support from the hen harrier programme.

These drones, flown at altitudes of 100 to 120 metres to avoid disturbing wildlife, help detect well-hidden nests.

Crucially, the generosity of local landowners in granting access to their land and providing support enabled the successful identification of nesting sites.

Sites

In 2025, six nests were successfully located, despite many challenges, including the curlew’s renowned cryptic behaviour, which makes their nests difficult to locate, and the unusually high temperatures in early May that reduced drone effectiveness.

The eggs were transferred to the expert care team at Fota Wildlife Park for incubation and rearing. Unfortunately, one clutch of four eggs was not viable.

The remaining chicks were successfully reared to excellent condition by the Fota Wildlife Park team.

Once they reached three weeks old, they were ringed by NPWS staff and returned to the Breeding Waders EIP team for phased release.

The birds were fitted with identification flags and GPS devices to track their movements post-release.

Commending the work of the project, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said: "I would like to congratulate the Breeding Waders EIP, which is jointly funded by my Department together with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, on this latest milestone in their work to protect the curlew population.

"I also want to commend the local farmers for providing access to their land to the EIP team, both for the identification of nesting sites and the release of the young birds. Their co-operation is critical to the success of this project and we very much value their support.”