That the Parliament recognises that World Curlew Day was celebrated on 21 April 2023; notes that this annual event aims to raise awareness of the various species of curlew and the threats that they face around the world; understands that Scotland is host to about 15% of all Eurasian curlew, and that numbers have declined by 60% since 1994, due mainly to changes in land use, as highlighted in the State of Nature Scotland Report 2019; acknowledges the further threats that, as ground nesting birds, curlew and their eggs face from predation; appreciates the contributions to curlew conservation that have been made by farmers, crofters and land managers, and the Working for Waders initiative, which supports curlew conservation projects across Scotland, including Curlew Life, and acknowledges the need for ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of such schemes; welcomes funding through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme and the Nature Restoration Fund in supporting land managers to manage their land for curlew and other waders; calls for continued long-term financial support for schemes that work to restore curlew numbers in Scotland, and looks forward to the time when people are again able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Scotland’s wildlife, including curlew.
Supported by:
Karen Adam, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Stephanie Callaghan, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Annabelle Ewing, Murdo Fraser, Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal, Christine Grahame, Jamie Halcro Johnston (Registered interest)
, Rachael Hamilton, Bill Kidd, Ruth Maguire, John Mason, Liam McArthur, Stuart McMillan, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance, Brian Whittle