Conservationists hand-rear endangered birds

Experts say the curlew is facing extinction in lowland England

Conservationists are hand-rearing dozens of endangered curlew chicks in an attempt to help the species recover.

Numbers of the wading birds have crashed in recent years, with experts blaming more interaction with humans.

Chicks from 40 eggs are being cared for, in the hope that more survive than would do if the eggs were left in the wild.

The birds hatched in May and will eventually be released on the Elmley Nature Reserve in Kent.

"There's 250 pairs in lowland England still breeding," said Gareth Fulton, who runs the reserve, "if we do nothing, that'll be zero in the next 20 years, a local extinction.

"That's driven by there being more of us, and we're using the land more intensively, cutting grass earlier or leaving more rubbish out so there are more foxes to eat the curlews' eggs."

The birds have been added to the UK Red List for conservation as an endangered species.

The curlew chicks have been hand-reared so more will make it to adulthood in the wild

Like other wading birds, curlews return to where they were born to breed, so it is hoped the birds released at Elmley will establish a new colony.

Jenny Collins was in charge of rearing the chicks, she said: "It's very rewarding to see them growing up into proper curlews, making the adult noises and having flight attempts.

"I wanted to get involved in something in conservation where you know you're going to have even a small impact on the wild populations."