International action plan for

 

 

 

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SUMMARY 

 

The conservation status of the Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris is classified as 

Critical at a global level (Collar et al. 1994). It is almost certainly the rarest and most poorly 

known bird species in Europe, where it occurs as a passage migrant. The population is estimated 

to be 50–270 birds. The first action plan, covering nine range-states, was included in the BirdLife 

International monograph on the species (Gretton 1991). 

 

Conservation of the Slender-billed Curlew is a truly formidable task. Although major gaps 

remain in our knowledge of the species in large parts of its range, certain actions can be taken 

immediately (and some have already been achieved). Effective conservation action will depend 

largely on a high degree of cooperation and commitment among those responsible, and on 

medium- to long-term funding of the necessary activities. 

 

 

Threats and limiting factors 

 

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Habitat loss - low/high (breeding areas) 

 

 

 

- medium/high (passage and wintering areas) 

 

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Hunting - medium (historically high) 

 

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Breakdown of social behaviour patterns - medium/high (following initial decline) 

 

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Other factors - unknown 

 

 

Conservation priorities 

 

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Effective legal protection for the Slender-billed Curlew and its "look-alikes" - 

essential/high 

 

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Locate the breeding grounds - essential 

 

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Promote international and national policies which protect the Slender-billed 

Curlew and its habitat - high 

 

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Appropriate protection and management of all passage, wintering and breeding 

grounds - high 

 

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Locate and study key wintering and passage sites - high/medium 

 

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Increase public awareness of the species critically threatened status amongst 

politicians, decision makers and hunters - high 

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INTRODUCTION 

 

The Slender-billed Curlew is arguably the most threatened bird species in the western Palearctic; 

it is certainly the least well known of the region's threatened birds, which greatly adds to the 

difficulty of conserving it. It appears to be the only bird species of the western Palearctic whose 

breeding grounds have remained unknown for the last 70 years. Thus, although its current 

population size is comparable with that of Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira and Bald Ibis 

Geronticus eremita, because the Slender-billed Curlew's present breeding grounds are unknown 

(as well , apparently, as most of the wintering areas), there is much less that can be done to help 

it. The conservation challenge is compounded by the fact that the identification of the species is 

not straightforward and that it is a medium- to long-range migrant, crossing many countries in 

which conservation action is needed. 

 

The species is globally threatened, having a Critical threat status (Collar et al. 1994), with a 

population recently estimated at 50–270 individuals (Gretton 1994). It is listed on Annex I of the 

EU Wild Birds Directive and of CITES, and on Appendix I of the Bonn Convention and 

Appendix II of the Bern Convention. A Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation of 

the species was developed during 1993–1994 by the Bonn Convention Secretariat.  A wide range 

of activities was carried out during 1992–1994 across much of the species' range, under the EU 

(ACNAT) project “Preparation of a rescue plan for the Slender-billed Curlew” (European 

Commission 1994). 

 

A workshop to identify priority actions necessary for the species in the west Mediterranean was 

held at Merja Zerga, Morocco, on 21–22 January 1994. This was attended by 30 people from the 

five relevant range-states (Italy, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) as well as France, Belgium 

and U.K.  The main output was an action plan covering the five west Mediterranean range-states. 

 In addition, the 1988-1990 BirdLife International project covered the whole range of the species, 

involving detailed research and identification of priority actions in each of the (then) nine range-

states. The action plan resulting from this project (included in Gretton 1991) has been used as the 

basis, with revision, for the recommendations given here for Romania, Hungary, Turkey and 

Greece. For the remaining range-states, new recommendations have been drafted, either because 

of political changes (former Yugoslavia and former U.S.S.R.), or because of new information or 

re-interpretation of the importance of countries for the species (Bulgaria, Iran, Iraq). During the 

IWRB Black Sea meeting in Odessa in October 1993, discussions were held on actions 

necessary for the Slender-billed Curlew with the four Black Sea range-states. In 1994 an 

agreement of cooperation was drawn up between the Novosibirsk Institute, Dutch Government, 

Vogelbescherming Nederland and BirdLife International for future surveys in south-west 

Siberia. 

 

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