Headstarting Curlew
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2026 Breeding Wader EIP
HEadstarting programme
The Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) has successfully imported forty Curlew eggs from the Yorkshire Dales in England. This marks an unprecedented collaborative effort with the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group and licensing authorities in both Ireland and the UK. Sourced from a healthy breeding population, the translocation represents a landmark step in Curlew conservation in Ireland.
In parallel, and incorporating headstarted birds from Ireland’s native Curlew population, the EIP has worked in close partnership with the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group, Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park to release over fifty juvenile Curlew into the wild this year.
The UK eggs were professionally incubated by the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group to the point of pip (when the chick first creates a small crack in the eggshell to begin hatching). They were then collected by the Breeding Waders EIP team and transported across the Irish Sea for early-stage rearing with project partner Dublin Zoo, home to the Centre for Species Survival, established in 2023.
Once the chicks reached fledgling stage (approx 21-days old) they are returned to the care of the Breeding Waders EIP who cared for them in a specially designed release aviary, at a strategically selected site. Here, they acclimatised to natural conditions for several weeks before undergoing a carefully managed release into the wild. A percentage of these headstarted birds were fitted with GPS tags, allowing the team to track their movements and assess their survival post-release.
These additional releases will built on the success of the initial phase and further strengthen ongoing efforts to bolster Ireland’s Curlew population.
This cross-border effort represents the most ambitious headstarting programme undertaken to date and signals a major advance in Curlew conservation in Ireland.
Eurasian Curlew numbers in Ireland have suffered a 98% decline since the 1980s, leaving the species on the brink of extirpation. As a ground-nesting bird, the Curlew is particularly vulnerable to land-use change, habitat loss, and high levels of predation, pressures which the Breeding Waders EIP is actively addressing through a range of targeted conservation actions.
Although the headstarting programmes delivered in 2024 and 2025 marked important progress, the national population remains at a critically low level. The importation of eggs at this scale is therefore considered an essential conservation measure, one that will help boost breeding numbers and strengthen the long-term viability of Curlew in Ireland. By supplementing the Irish Curlew population with eggs from the UK, the project aims to significantly strengthen Irish Curlew numbers.
This initiative marks a significant conservation milestone, representing one of the strongest Ireland–UK collaborations to date for a threatened species.
Speaking about the initiative, the Breeding Waders EIP Senior Project Manager, Owen Murphy, highlighted its importance:
‘Initiatives such as headstarting, and this further step of egg importation, are not taken lightly. Detailed assessments of a species population to determine changes in abundance, density and distribution over time are combined with modelling of the impact of the proposed conservation actions on the species in question. This data informs our decisions and in this case showed the clear benefit of accessing additional eggs to supplement our headstarting programme. A huge thanks to the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group for their willingness to work collaboratively, share knowledge and aid in our attempts to retain breeding Eurasian Curlew as an intrinsic part of the Irish landscape’
Speaking about the initiative, the Breeding Waders EIP Headstarting and Nest Protection Manager, Donal Beagan, highlighted the collaborative work involved in achieving this milestone: “This is the culmination over nearly 12 months of planning involving stakeholders on both sides of the Irish sea. It is great to now see it come to fruition and we believe that this is a real opportunity to stabilise our Curlew population whilst we work on creating and restoring better landscapes for these iconic wading birds to breed in. It has been enlightening to witness healthy breeding wader populations as a result of landscape management in Yorkshire and we are grateful for their contribution to our cause. Huge credit to the land managers, keepers and farmers in that area for helping to conserve a stronghold for breeding waders.”
World curlew Day marks the launch of the
2025 Breeding Wader EIP
HEadstarting programme
World Curlew Day on April 21st, marks the commencement of the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) 2025 headstarting programme. The initiative aims to build on the success of last year’s project, which saw 27 curlew fledglings, hatched in Fota Wildlife Park, released into the wild, marking a milestone in native species conservation efforts.
The headstarting process, commencing at the end of April, involves collecting Curlew eggs from the wild, incubating, hatching, and rearing the chicks until they are strong enough to be released. Once they reach the fledgling stage, the young birds are released back into the wild, giving them a significantly higher chance of survival during the most vulnerable period of their lives. This approach dramatically increases survival rates for vulnerable ground-nesting species like the Curlew, whose populations have been decimated by habitat loss and predation.
Building on the success of the 2024 Headstarting which saw the release of 27 Curlew fledglings into the wild, marking a significant milestone in conservation efforts, Breeding Waders EIP, the Hen Harrier Programme and Fota Wildlife Park prepare for the 2025 Headstarting process.
Headstarting refers to a strategy where conservationists collect eggs from the wild bird populations, incubate and hatch these eggs, and then rear the chicks in a controlled environment to increase their hatching rate, fledgling rate and overall survival. The fledglings are released back into the wild population. The goal of headstarting is to boost the population of threatened or endangered species by ensuring that a greater number of individuals reach adulthood and are recruited into the wild breeding population.
The 2025 Headstarting Process will commence at the end of April. Breeding Waders EIP team and project partners, Fota Wildlife Park and the Hen Harrier Programme, have been diligently preparing for the upcoming breeding season. Fota Wildlife Park are expert aviculturalists and will ensure that collected eggs get the best possible care and attention. The drone pilot team in the Hen Harrier Programme will be on hand to help the Breeding Wader EIP team find the precious Curlew eggs in the wild.
Eurasian Curlew are a ground-nesting bird which makes them extra vulnerable to land-use change and predation. As waders, they require access to water and invertebrate rich soil for their chicks to thrive. As a result, the Breeding Waders EIP has been managing several sites to ensure suitable habitats for waders, implementing actions such as scrub clearance, drain reprofiling and rush mulching. Landowner recruitment is currently underway, with farmers signing up to help save the species by implementing management actions on privately owned land. The EIP has recruited and trained thirty seasonal nest protection officers to implement practices in designated areas where Curlew and other breeding waders are likely to nest. Other actions have seen Predator exclusion fencing sourced and erected in known nesting sites and a thermal imagery drone procured and licensed with personnel trained for nest detection. The drone pilot team in the Hen Harrier Programme, operating under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, will assist the headstarting team in locating Curlew eggs in the wild. Once identified, the eggs are carefully collected and transported to Fota Wildlife Park, where they are incubated and the chicks reared in purpose-built, biosecure facilities.
Donal Beagan, Headstarting and Nest Protection Manager for the Breeding Waders EIP:
“It is unfortunate that we must resort to emergency measures to boost Curlew populations through headstarting. However, this technique gives us significant hope. These birds are long-lived, so increasing their numbers should have lasting effects. Nevertheless, much work remains to be done in terms of landscape habitat, predation risk management, and policy before we can restore healthy breeding Curlew populations in our countryside."
Fota Wildlife Park is deeply committed to conservation, focusing on several endangered species through long-established breeding programmes. The Curlew is one of five critically endangered native species that the park currently supports. The team at Fota has been taking numerous steps to prepare for the 2025 headstarting process, including reviewing last year's data, procuring and calibrating incubation and hatching machines, preparing their headstarting facility with infrared lighting and food requirements for chicks, and constructing and seeding pens for when the chicks are ready for the outdoors.
Declan O’Donovan, Animal Care Manager at Fota Wildlife Park:
“Having been involved in numerous conservation projects since its formation in 1983, participating in the Breeding Waders EIP is a natural progression for Fota Wildlife Park. Collaborating with all the dedicated Breeding Waders EIP partners epitomises the IUCN One Plan approach which is core to our values. This is where work on the ground to protect the waders through collaboration with local landowners, farmers, ecologists and Government Agencies is complemented by the expertise and capacity in the areas of avian incubation and headstarting that Fota Wildlife Park brings. It is truly humbling to be part of this project and I know that the dedication of my colleagues here in Fota Wildlife Park will undoubtedly shine again during this season, allowing us to return young birds which would not have had the opportunity to survive back into their natural habitats in Ireland”
Everyone involved in this process shares a profound love for nature and the Curlew they help. Last year's success highlights the dedication of the team in hatching, rearing, and releasing these birds into the wild. The Headstarting process demands tireless effort from our staff to ensure the best hatching chances for the eggs and the survival of the chicks once they are released as fledglings.
Owen Murphy, Senior Project Manager, Breeding Waders EIP:
“The staff of the Breeding Waders EIP, Fota Wildlife Park and the Hen Harrier Programme go to extraordinary lengths to make Headstarting work in an Irish context. I wish to commend them on their commitment and dedication, which sees long hours in the field including late nights and early mornings, constant vigilance during incubation and chick rearing and the excitement and nervousness of the release days. Hopefully 2025 will be another successful and inspiring year, and that many new Curlew will be in Irish skies this Summer.”
To stay updated on the progress of the eggs collected please follow both the Breeding Waders EIP and Fota Wildlife Park on their social media channels.
2025 Headstarting Progress
Track the progress of the 2025 & 2026 headstarting programmes on our social media platforms and Youtube Channel. Subscribe today!
1) 2025 Headstarting Launch - Breeding Waders EIP
4) The Hen Harrier team talks about thermal drone usage for nest detection
7) Egg Transportation to Fota Wildlife Park
10) Curlew chicks first 24 hours
13) Curlew ringing
16) GPS Tagging
11) Curlew chicks in brooding tubs
14) Release pen construction
17) Curlew Release
3) Meet Breeding Waders EIP Projet Officer, Shane Sweeney
6) Egg transportation to Fota Wildlife Park team
9) Curlew Eggs Hatching
12) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
18) Curlew Highlights
1) 2025 Headstarting Launch - Breeding Waders EIP
3) Meet Breeding Waders EIP Projet Officer, Shane Sweeney
4) The Hen Harrier team talks about thermal drone usage for nest detection
6) Egg transportation to Fota Wildlife Park team
7) Egg Transportation to Fota Wildlife Park
9) Curlew Eggs Hatching
10) Curlew chicks first 24 hours
11) Curlew chicks in brooding tubs
12) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
13) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
14) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
16) GPS Tagging
17) Curlew Release
18) Curlew Highlights
1) 2025 Headstarting Launch - Breeding Waders EIP
3) Meet Breeding Waders EIP Projet Officer, Shane Sweeney
4) The Hen Harrier team talks about thermal drone usage for nest detection
6) Egg transportation to Fota Wildlife Park team
7) Egg Transportation to Fota Wildlife Park
9) Curlew Eggs Hatching
10) Curlew chicks first 24 hours
11) Curlew chicks in brooding tubs
12) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
13) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
14) Curlew chicks in outdoor pens
16) GPS Tagging
17) Curlew Release
18) Curlew Highlights
