Curlew

sNarah

Hi, I probably missed an existing thread about this so apologies if I'm repeating something.

So huntseason opened 3 days ago and what boggles me is that a bird listed as endangered is included on the official list that can be shot? In an article they quoted "but it's unlikely they will be shot as they are not very tasty".

Must dig up the article to back up my thoughts here but any other thoughts about it? It really doesn't make any sense, does it?

homerhop

i dont know a single hunter who would even dream of shooting one.

marlin vs

homerhop wrote: »

i dont know a single hunter who would even dream of shooting one.

+1

Birdnuts

The curlew is endangered as a breeding bird, not as a winter visitor - that is the big difference. The vast majority of birds seen in this country are eithier passage migrants or winter visitors, this populations is not endangered and that is why limited hunting is allowed, not that most hunters even bother with them:)

Feargal as Luimneach

Throughout it's range the Eurasian Curlews numbers are decreasing rapidly. There has been catastrophic decline in breeding numbers in Ireland. Huge changes in the uplands, such as the criminal destruction of peat bogs (both commercial and private), afforestation, more intensive management of farmland and the abandonment of some lands have all affected Curlew breeding numbers. In the lowlands, the merciless drainage of wetlands and intensive management of grasslands have stolen much of their habitat. The Curlew is going the way of the corncrake:(Since Irish breeding birds often winter in Ireland shooting can kill these remaining birds. Granted shooting is not the cause of the decline but should be banned without further delay! Since virtually all populations are decreasing (often collapsing like the Irish population) shooting should be banned across the EU.

homerhop

I am shooting over 20 years and in that time have never once heard of anyone shooting them.

Vegeta

I'd have zero problem if there was no season for curlew. Don't shoot them and don't know anyone who does.

Feargal as Luimneach

homerhop wrote: »

I am shooting over 20 years and in that time have never once heard of anyone shooting them.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&highlight=curlew
People apparently do shoot them, click on link.


(Warning: link contains a shot bird)

Vegeta

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&highlight=curlew
People apparently do shoot them, click on link.


(Warning: link contains a shot bird)

Yeah having a shooting season for curlew makes about as much sense as releasing yellow listed raptors at the expense of red listed birds. Oh wait

homerhop

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&highlight=curlew
People apparently do shoot them, click on link.


(Warning: link contains a shot bird)

Ya learn something new every day. I stand corrected.

Half-cocked

I know a few lads along the upper Shannon who shoot a few each year. I've never bothered, I prefer to watch curlews.

bibio

The Curlew was put on the quarry list, as a sop to taking Geese off the quarry list. Shooters generally dont hunt them, but do create, manage and protect a lot habitat that curlew feed on, nest on and roost on. So in the greater scheme of things probably not much difference if they are on quarry list or not. I'm personally not hunting them, and dont know anyone who does, but I would imagine hunters would vigoursly oppose any attempt to remove them, as it may be seen as the thin end of the wedge to remove snipe and/or woodcock, both of which have very strong populations.

Feargal as Luimneach

Vegeta wrote: »

Yeah having a shooting season for curlew makes about as much sense as releasing yellow listed raptors at the expense of red listed birds. Oh wait

The re-introduced raptors are major predators of animals such as crows and foxes. Crows and foxes are predators to ground nesting birds. These raptors will help these red-listed birds by drastically reducing these animals:cool:

Birdnuts

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

The re-introduced raptors are major predators of animals such as crows and foxes. Crows and foxes are predators to ground nesting birds. These raptors will help these red-listed birds by drastically reducing these animals:cool:

Indeed - once habitat is provided, everything else follows.Balance of nature and all that

PS: I personaly know of no hunters who have targeted Curlew in the last 20 years. I certainly have never shot one.:)

Vegeta

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

The re-introduced raptors are major predators of animals such as crows and foxes. Crows and foxes are predators to ground nesting birds. These raptors will help these red-listed birds by drastically reducing these animals:cool:

You're too easy Fergal, relax I was only trying to rise you.

Birdnuts

Vegeta wrote: »

You're too easy Fergal, relax I was only trying to rise you.

Naughty;)

Feargal as Luimneach

bibio wrote: »

The Curlew was put on the quarry list, as a sop to taking Geese off the quarry list. Shooters generally dont hunt them, but do create, manage and protect a lot habitat that curlew feed on, nest on and roost on. So in the greater scheme of things probably not much difference if they are on quarry list or not. I'm personally not hunting them, and dont know anyone who does, but I would imagine hunters would vigoursly oppose any attempt to remove them, as it may be seen as the thin end of the wedge to remove snipe and/or woodcock, both of which have very strong populations.

That would be a selfish reason not to do it!

Feargal as Luimneach

Vegeta wrote: »

You're too easy Fergal, relax I was only trying to rise you.

An attempt at trolling........

Birdnuts

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

An attempt at trolling........

Stand down Soldier!!

Vegeta

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

An attempt at trolling........

Well I do believe what I posted, I wasn't posting to generate a reaction I just knew you'd react. Birdnuts pointed out that "once habitat is provided" things will find balance but the habitat isn't there in this case so it makes both your points invalid, in my opinion

I don't want to completely derail this topic but the parallels are there. I know how tightly your knickers are twisted I knew exactly how you'd respond. I don't have the will to argue with someone as dogmatic as you.

I don't think there should be a shooting season for a bird under threat and one who is not really pursued anyway

Birdnuts

Vegeta wrote: »

Well I do believe what I posted, I wasn't posting to generate a reaction I just knew you'd react. Birdnuts pointed out that "once habitat is provided" things will find balance but the habitat isn't there in this case so it makes both your points invalid, in my opinion



.

This thread is indeed in danger of heading into a dead end of off topic, unsubstantiated, inaccurate, unfounded and pointless posts:(

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&highlight=curlew
People apparently do shoot them, click on link.


(Warning: link contains a shot bird)

Feargal,

That isn't a Curlew, that is a Whimbrel.

LostCovey

Birdnuts

LostCovey wrote: »

Feargal,

That isn't a Curlew, that is a Whimbrel.

LostCovey

Are you sure its not a young Curlew

Feargal as Luimneach

LostCovey wrote: »

Feargal,

That isn't a Curlew, that is a Whimbrel.

LostCovey

Looks like Juvenile Curlew, which have a shorter bill. The bird lacks the dark eyestripe and dark crown sides of whimbrel. Juvenile curlew and whimbrel can look similar.

Dusty87

dont know anyone who shot one, bar the link. I wouldn shoot one. Heard they dont taste nice, and have no interest in them. Are they found all over ireland?

mallards

LostCovey wrote: »

Feargal,

That isn't a Curlew, that is a Whimbrel.

LostCovey

Sorry, but in my defence, that is a curlew. Although I do have breeding Curlew and see groups of a thousand wintering curlew in my area. I understand that in other parts of Ireland the curlew is declining. The curlew has been removed from the quarry list as of this year, which I agree with.
I have posted a further picture of the bird in the link with an explanation for Lostcovey on the difference between the two.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&page=2

Thanks.

Mallards

LostCovey

mallards wrote: »

Sorry, but in my defence, that is a curlew. Although I do have breeding Curlew and see groups of a thousand wintering curlew in my area. I understand that in other parts of Ireland the curlew is declining. The curlew has been removed from the quarry list as of this year, which I agree with.
I have posted a further picture of the bird in the link with an explanation for Lostcovey on the difference between the two.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056045364&page=2

Thanks.

Mallards

The macho 'trophy shot' looks like a Whimbrel.

If you say the head of the dead bird 'in the hand' is the same bird, then I must accept that, and then I concede that is definitely a Curlew. Sad looking photo, though. Why mind the breeding birds from the foxes, as you say you do, then blow them away as juveniles before they have even had a chance to breed??????

This bird is in a rapid decline. It's current listing as legal quarry is a sad and anachronistic technicality. Any sporting shooter wouldn't swing after one, as some posts here testify.

I concede (based on your own assurances), that you killed a Curlew.

Well done Mallards.

Why not leave them in peace, they have enough pressures on them, and use your over & under clay pigeon gun for the sport it was built for.


LostCovey

mallards

The macho 'trophy shot' looks like a Whimbrel.
Nothing Macho about it LostCovey, the bird was eaten as are all game that I have shot. Also, yes, Whimbrels and Curlews are quite similar. But if you look at the links I posted to the RSPB, you can see it is a Curlew.

Why mind the breeding birds from the foxes, as you say you do, then blow them away as juveniles before they have even had a chance to breed??????

Good question, I've actively managed my little piece of the countryside for eleven years now. I've always heard the haunting call of the curlew on it since the year 2000. It wasn't until 2001 before I noticed the breeding area in one particular area of the shoot. It's always an area that had a few snipe on it in the winter or an odd hare would raise a leveret or two. Not an area I would have concentrated any effort on controlling the crows or kept an eye for the fox. But, I take pride in the variety of wildlife on my shoot, even boasting a calling corncrake back in May of this year. So naturally, I kept an eye out for the Curlews. At the time, the curlew along with pheasants and partridges etc were all on the legal quarry list. So as it was the middle of the hunting season I was at the esturary trying to get a duck for my dinner. Again, this is another place where the group I belong too, clean two stretches of shore every year as well as provide habitat for ducks, geese and waders to raise their young in peace. I had waited in a gale watching skein after skein of brent geese fly above my head as well as watched thousands of wintering curlew hover from marsh to marsh. When a solitary curlew passed overhead I took him for the pot. I admired his beauty as I had only seen them up close before as they dive bombed my magpie decoy back on the shoot in the spring. It was the only bird I shot that day and the only curlew I ever shot. It wasn't the fact that I don't see any, the flocks are massive. It's just I prefered the taste of duck. That was three years ago now and Curlew are off the Northern Ireland quarry list and rightly so, as other areas don't look after the curlew as we do and as had been said they are in decline. Gladly, there have been at least three broods fledge from my ground since then and I still try and protect the area as best I can.

Why not leave them in peace, they have enough pressures on them, and use your over & under clay pigeon gun for the sport it was built for.

You will find pressure is not from me, sadly, lands have been drained, egg and chick thieves run riot in our countryside, their numbers out of all proportion, fed on a diet of human wastage and rubbish. The curlew lives on my ground due to the fact that I shoot game there and all the trappings that go with that, habitat creation, supplementry feeding, predator control etc. As long as I still have a say in it, they will have a home with me. Also over and unders are both used for shooting game and clays, just thought you would like to know.

Regards.

Mallards

Mothman

I've locked this thread.
There was very little constructive contributions and much of the latter part ended up discussing a shot bird in hunting...and having just looked at that thread, the same discussion happened there....???

No-one (including myself) has referenced a recent Birdwatchireland report of declining numbers. (iirc)
When time permits, I may delete many posts and reopen thread. If someone does have constructive contribution to add to this thread please pm me.