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Curlew chicks rescued from wildfire returned to the wild!
Conservation partners delighted as chicks successfully released to Fermanagh site managed through PeacePlus Nature.
5 min read
Rescued Curlew chicks have been successfully released back into their natural habitat following a dramatic intervention when their nest was impacted by a major wildfire in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh.
The site at Brookeborough, is monitored by the Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust (SBCCT) and RSPB Northern Ireland through PeacePlus Nature, a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Critical response
The fire tore through approximately 1.75 square kilometres of land, with 85 firefighters attending the scene who were alerted to the curlew nest by RSPB NI’s Lough Erne Conservation Advisor, Róisín Normanly who monitors the site for Curlew.
In a coordinated response, firefighters working at the scene, alongside conservation staff from RSPB NI and SBCCT took extraordinary care to safeguard the nest. Following swift authorisation from the 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.
Donal Beagan from Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust said:
We are absolutely delighted that we could step in and use our experience to safeguard and care for these chicks. 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.”
Róisín Normanly, RSPB NI’s Lough Erne Conservation Advisor who helped protect the nest, added:
“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.
“Curlews 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 wildfires 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.”
Owen Murphy, Project Manager of the Breeding Waders EIP, said:
“We were delighted to work alongside the Sliabh Beagh Curlew Conservation Trust and RSPB Northern Ireland in responding to this emergency. 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.”
