By Nick Tomalin, Stone-curlew Project Officer
Who’s ever heard of the bull-nosed swollen-knee? No? How about Burhinus oedicnemus? Still nothing? What if I said stone-curlew? Now I hear a tiny groan of recognition, though I suspect that many of those who have heard of the species may already be working with it. Not many people have ever seen or heard a stone-curlew (not to be confused with the totally unrelated Eurasian curlew that is more familiar to most of us). That’s partly due to their excellent camouflage, partly as a result of their nocturnal habits, and also because the UK population is restricted to just 400 pairs across two locations – the Wessex area around Salisbury Plain, and the Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks.
So I don’t suggest you go rushing out in search of stoneys immediately, not least because they won’t actually be back in the country until late in March. Right now they are sunning themselves in southern Europe and North Africa. And who can blame them?! When they do return, they will search out suitable nest sites with their partners, and this is largely where it went wrong for the species. Stone-curlews are quite fussy individuals. They would dearly love to nest on tightly grazed grassland, but much of what was once available has now given way to agriculture or plantation forestry. So instead they nest in arable fields, where the eggs and chicks are vulnerable to farming operations. Add to this a nervous disposition that means they are easily disturbed, and its little wonder that the population fell so heavily – by 85% between the 1930s and 1980s! At one point the estimated population was just 150 pairs.
But things are looking up. The population has increased over the last twenty years due to ongoing conservation work and the efforts of dedicated farmers and landowners. Special plots can be created on agricultural land that are managed specifically for stone-curlews, as part of the Environmental Stewardship package. By discing or spraying the plots in February or early March, the farmers create the bare or sparsely vegetated ground that the birds favour for their nests. When sited in open areas, away from sources of predation and close to suitable foraging areas, these plots are a haven for nesting stoneys. During the breeding season further management may be necessary to keep conditions suitable, usually by spraying to keep vegetation in check, and close liaison between the farmers and the RSPB field staff ensures that as many young birds as possible make it through to fledging.
Which is a big thumbs up if you’re an oedicnemus enthusiast! In some ways it’s hard not to be. You have to admire a bird that looks like a relic of the cretaceous period. Their giant eyes give the impression that they are continually surprised or slightly drunk. For many centuries it was believed that making eye contact with a stone-curlew could cure jaundice, a view which lead some stone-curlew owners to keep them under canvas to prevent ‘free’ treatment! In fact these eyes allow the birds to operate at low light levels, and they are most active at dawn and dusk. In autumn, great gatherings of stone-curlew can be seen in a handful of sites where they roost together. And then its back off on migration again, but most don’t leave our shores until as late as October, giving them one of the longest summer periods of any of our migrants.
The RSPB now has stone-curlews breeding on several reserves. And all the work done by the farmers may be benefitting other species too. Lapwings often use the plots to nest in, and the farmers are very enthusiastic about the birds they see on their farms. Without this support stone-curlews would not have recovered to the levels we see today. But this work is ongoing, and will need continued support in the coming years. If you think you might be able to manage land for stone-curlews in either of its two strongholds, please don’t hesitate to contact the RSPB for more information.