WADER APPEAL FROM THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

View this email in your web browser Banner: Curlew, by Neil Calbrade / BTO Together we can create a brighter future for these wonderful birds Dear John My name is Sam Franks. I'm a Senior Research Ecologist here at BTO, and I'm passionate about wading birds like Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew and Redshank. I want to share with you information about the serious challenges they face, the important work that BTO is undertaking for these vulnerable birds, and how your support can help their recovery. Whether it's the swooping display and 'pee-wit' calls of a breeding Lapwing or the haunting cry of a Curlew over a hay meadow, our breeding waders give us some of the most iconic sights and sounds of the countryside. Yet, with their numbers in serious decline, there is a real danger that these experiences could become just a distant memory. Lapwing and Curlew numbers have sadly decreased in the UK by over 50% in the last 30 years, which is why I am asking you today to donate to help them. BTO needs your help today, to restore and protect wader populations. Please give what you can. Donate here today Nesting on the ground, waders are especially vulnerable to predators and habitat change. Waders are one of our most threatened groups of birds, with BTO data documenting severe declines. While conservation efforts, such as agri-environment schemes, habitat restoration and the development of protected areas, have shown signs of stemming some declines, we need to do more and we need to do it now. Curlew, by Rich Bunce Walking Photographer / BTO Curlew Currently only one in eight chicks survive Golden Plover, by Paul Hillion / BTO Redshank Numbers have fallen rapidly, with a 45% decrease since 1995 Golden Plover Its mournful fluty call, evocative of wild places, is now ever rarer BTO is a cornerstone of national efforts to recover breeding wader populations, working in three key areas: collecting evidence, testing solutions to save eggs and chicks, and engaging and supporting stakeholders in wader conservation. Your support can help our work to reverse their declines and create a brighter future for these wonderful birds. Here are some of the projects we need support for, in order to help these vulnerable species. Curlew Solutions Trial BTO has played a leading role in design, data collection and analysis for a pivotal project to assess the evidence for solutions that improve Curlew breeding success. Headstarting This is a promising conservation tool for Curlew recovery which involves collecting eggs from nests at risk of destruction, rearing the hatched chicks in captivity and releasing them into the wild. Working with farmers We are working with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Bolton Estate and farmers to collect vital information on vulnerable Curlew populations. With your help there's hope - of finding the most effective ways to protect breeding waders, ensuring their beautiful calls and displays grace our skies for years to come. Find our more and donate to this transformational work. Give Thank you so much for all your support - together we can make a difference for birds. With best wishes, Sam Franks Senior Research Ecologist Dunlin, by Gray Images / BTO You have received this email because your email address is subscribed to BTO email. The British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU Registered Charity No. 216652 (England & Wales) SC039193 (Scotland) Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Contact Us