Curlew chicks returned to Fermanagh following wildfire rescue 

Curlew chicks returned to Fermanagh following wildfire rescue 

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Rescued curlew chicks have been successfully released back into their natural habitat following a dramatic intervention when their nest was impacted by a major fire in Brookeborough, in Northern Ireland. 

The fire tore through approximately 1.75 square kilometres of land,

with 85 firefighters attending the scene who were alerted to the nest by RSPB NI’s Lough Erne Conservation Advisor, Róisín Normanly, who monitors the site. In a coordinated response, firefighters working at the scene, alongside conservation staff from RSPB NI and SBCCT (Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust) took extraordinary care to safeguard the nest. Following swift authorisation from the Environment Agency NIEA in response to an immediate threat, the eggs were carefully extracted and cared for thanks to equipment supplied by Breeding Waders EIP before their successful release at a dedicated site in Fermanagh. 

“We are absolutely delighted that we could step in and use our experience to safeguard and care for these chicks,” said Donal Beagan from Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust. „With Curlew numbers so dangerously low, this situation shows exactly why collaboration is critical. It’s been lovely to watch the local community show their support for the chicks, and we are thrilled to be able to release them back onto the land.”  

“I’m so pleased and grateful that those chicks survived and are back where they belong, all thanks to the quick actions of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Forestry Service and our partners at the Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust, the Breeding Waders EIP, the landowners and the local community for their support,” added Róisín Normanly, RSPB NI’s Lough Erne Conservation Advisor, who helped protect the nest. „Curlew are one of our most threatened breeding birds, every single nest matters. While we’re incredibly grateful for this rare happy ending, it’s also a stark reminder of the devastating impact fires can have. Often deliberate, these fires put lives at risk and cause severe damage to nature, destroying vital breeding grounds, wiping out nests and eggs, and harming fragile ecosystems in moments. Recovery can take years, even decades. They must stop.”  

“We were delighted to work alongside the Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust and RSPB Northern Ireland in responding to this emergency,” said Owen Murphy, Project Manager of the Breeding Waders EIP. „The rescue of the eggs, the care of the chicks and the preparations for their release show what can be achieved through a genuinely collaborative approach to conservation. The volunteers at Sliabh Beagh and RSPB NI staff responded with remarkable speed, commitment and determination, and we were very pleased to support their efforts by providing satellite tags for the chicks. These tags will allow us to follow their movements after release and gather valuable information that can help inform future curlew conservation work. This has been an exceptional collective effort, bringing together local volunteers, conservation organisations and practical expertise in response to a serious and unexpected threat.” 

As Europe’s largest wading bird,

the curlew is famous for its long legs, down-curved bill and haunting bubbling call which once called out across the UK. The now red-listed species has sadly been in steep decline, with the breeding population lost by more than half (51 per cent) since the mid-1990s. Hosting around a quarter of the world’s breeding curlews across a range of habitats, the UK is of vital significance for the bird. In response to its plight, dedicated conservation efforts have been taking place across the UK to aid their recovery. You can see videos of the chicks HERE.

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