Curlew numbers in the Peak District Moors increase by 250%

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Gamekeepers in the Peak District have been celebrating the huge increase in curlews, buzzards, kestrels and ravens as the 2018 Breeding Bird Survey is published.

The Moors for the Future Partnership, launched the results of the survey, which was a repeat of surveys in 1990 and 2004. The survey covers 500 square kilometres of moorland which is surveyed twice to identify the presence of breeding birds species.

Richard Bailey, a gamekeeper from the Peak District who represents the Moorland Branch of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, said: “The doubters who say our moors are devoid of bird diversity need to pick up a copy of this survey.

“All stakeholders and land managers in the Peak District should be justifiably proud of the results, that clearly show an increase in bird numbers on our managed moors.

“To hear that the red listed curlew has increased by 250%, completely bucking the national trend along with an increase in other SPA species and others such as buzzards, kestrels and ravens is simply a fantastic achievement.”