Nidderdale National Landscape is backing a curlew conservation appeal with a month of choir rehearsals, moorland walks, creative workshops and a Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, all designed to shine a spotlight on a species that remains under serious pressure across the region.
What's on
17 April - A Pennine Hills Curlew Choir Refresher, Pateley Bridge Memorial Hall
18 April - Walk for Curlew, Marsden Moor
19 April - The Curlew Challenge, Yorkshire Three Peaks
24 April - The Curlew's Call Studio, Pateley Bridge Memorial Hall
24 April - Curlew Song: The Music and the Message, Pateley Bridge Memorial Hall
25 April - Sing with Curlews, Malham Methodist Chapel and Malham Cove
Visit the Nidderdale National Landscape events page for more details and to book.
The dramatic decline of our largest wader has long slipped beneath public awareness. Despite the many threats facing Eurasian Curlew, the widespread belief that they are doing "OK" may be the most dangerous. Their long lifespan and familiar presence across Yorkshire can mask the reality of a species in serious trouble.
Across the UK, breeding success is now catastrophically low, producing only half the chicks needed for a stable population. Numbers fell by 48% between 1995 and 2020, pushing the species onto BirdLife International's Red List.
Yet the UK still holds around a quarter of the global population, making it a fragile stronghold. With steep declines in southern England and Wales, Yorkshire has become one of the most important regions for the curlew's future. The Pennine chain is a significant area for breeding Curlew.
Matt Trevelyan, Farming in Protected Landscapes officer for Nidderdale National Landscape, said: "Curlew are part of the sound and soul of our upland landscape, but they are under real pressure.
"Our week-long series of curlew themed events are intended to bring people together in creative, memorable ways – and support the work needed to help curlew survive and thrive."
National Landscapes and Parks support a range of conservation across the area, with many projects benefitting from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Funding Programme.
"We've set ourselves an ambitious fundraising target, because we know the need is real," he said.
"From the Three Peaks challenge to the choir and public events, every part of the programme is about turning people's love for curlew into practical support."