BirdWatch Ireland has pleaded with the Irish Government to take curlews off the hunting list as just seven nesting pairs have been found in a recent survey in Co Donegal.
The group has now warned the iconic bird faces extinction here.
Alan Lauder, Chief Executive of BirdWatch Ireland, said the numbers of Curlews which are shot every winter in Ireland is probably quite small.
However he added “Given the precarious state of the population in Ireland and the declines being recorded across Europe, we believe that removing the Curlew from the shooting list is an important and urgent precautionary measure.”
He said a coordinated response across Government is also needed to ensure that our remaining Curlews are protected.
“If we want to keep the haunting cry of the Curlew in our hills and bogs and meet our EU obligations at the same time we must act decisively.
“That’s the only way will we keep this remarkable bird for future generations to enjoy.”
Dr Anita Donaghy, HELP Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, who is based in Letterkenny, said, “Measures such as provision for breeding Curlews in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) and land use policy measures to protect Curlew nesting habitat are required without delay.”
The survey found very few birds in the other counties covered including Cavan, Leitrim and Monaghan.
The group said that many people mix up visiting curlews with the native curlews but the reality is that the Irish population is in real danger of extinction.
BirdWatch Ireland has been calling on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to initiate a threat response plan for Curlew since March 2012.
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