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Species Stone-curlew - Burhinus oedicnemus, bird
Habitat ARABLE FARMLAND CALCAREOUS GRASSLAND
Background and status Distinctive sandy-brown, crow-sized bird with long yellow legs, yellow and black bill, and large, staring, yellow eyes. Wild, curlew-like cry usually heard at dusk. Birds fairly static and difficult to see during day and active and feeding mostly at night.

It arrives in UK from mid March. May have two broods (usually two chicks per brood) and could still be raising young into October. Lays eggs in scrape on open ground. Birds gather in flocks before departing south in late October.

Feeds on large invertebrates - earthworms and beetles mainly.

In the UK the stone-curlew has suffered an 85% decline in past 50 years, with birds now restricted to only two discrete areas, Wessex and Breckland.

Main Threats Factors specific to Wessex population are listed here, the habitat of the birds in their other main breeding area in the UK, Breckland, is different.

Loss of semi-natural grasslands (downland) to agriculture.

Loss of suitably-managed chalk grassland habitats (eg, lack of grazing).

Lack of suitable farmland nesting and feeding sites (due to change from spring-sown to winter crops, loss of mixed farming).

Destruction of nests on farmland by agricultural operations.

Predation of nests (especially on downland sites) by foxes.

Other threats include egg collecting and human disturbance, and possibly shooting pressure on migrating birds in Europe.
Conservation and targets RSPB started conservation work to protect stone-curlews nesting on farmland in the early 1980s. Since then work has become a co-operative approach between RSPB and farmers, involving MAFF. Targets and conservation measures for the Wessex population are as follows:

Increase the UK breeding population to 200 pairs by 2000 and to 300 pairs by 2010.

Design and promote agri-environment schemes to fund creation of suitable habitat for stone-curlews on farmland (eg, manipulation of set-aside, a new Countryside Stewardship scheme).

Advising and working with farmers so they manage their land to benefit stone-curlews.

Working with MOD so that the military activities on Salisbury Plain in particular can co-exist with a successfully breeding population of stone-curlews
  Contribution from RSPB

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