Curlew, Numenius arquata with Ragworm
'Early bird'. A beautiful Curlew, foraging on the seashore and pulling Ragworm's out of the sand. Northumberland.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Notes:-
The UK's breeding population of curlews is of international importance, being estimated to represent more than 30 per cent of the west European population.
Declines ...
There have been worrying declines in the breeding population throughout much of the UK, with the Breeding Bird Survey indicating significant declines in Scotland, England and Wales, and an overall UK decline of 42 per cent between 1995 and 2008.
Earlier surveys recorded a 60 per cent decline in breeding numbers in Northern Ireland between 1987 and 1999.
Curlews are also declining more widely across their global breeding range and, consequently, their IUCN status is near threatened. The species is a UK BAP priority, and is Amber listed due to the international importance of both breeding and wintering populations in the UK, its unfavourable conservation status in Europe and the declines in UK breeding numbers.
Within the UK, curlews breed on a range of habitats but are primarily birds of extensively managed rough grasslands, moorlands and bogs. The bulk of the breeding population (around 60 per cent) occurs in Scotland, with the majority of the remaining birds in northern England, RSPB Notes.
Curlew, Numenius arquata with Ragworm
'Early bird'. A beautiful Curlew, foraging on the seashore and pulling Ragworm's out of the sand. Northumberland.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Notes:-
The UK's breeding population of curlews is of international importance, being estimated to represent more than 30 per cent of the west European population.
Declines ...
There have been worrying declines in the breeding population throughout much of the UK, with the Breeding Bird Survey indicating significant declines in Scotland, England and Wales, and an overall UK decline of 42 per cent between 1995 and 2008.
Earlier surveys recorded a 60 per cent decline in breeding numbers in Northern Ireland between 1987 and 1999.
Curlews are also declining more widely across their global breeding range and, consequently, their IUCN status is near threatened. The species is a UK BAP priority, and is Amber listed due to the international importance of both breeding and wintering populations in the UK, its unfavourable conservation status in Europe and the declines in UK breeding numbers.
Within the UK, curlews breed on a range of habitats but are primarily birds of extensively managed rough grasslands, moorlands and bogs. The bulk of the breeding population (around 60 per cent) occurs in Scotland, with the majority of the remaining birds in northern England, RSPB Notes.