The Stone Curlew
Found only in central southern England and East Anglia, the stone curlew
(Burhinus oedicnemus) is one of the UK’s rarest birds, suffering
a huge decline in range and numbers in Britain in the last 50 years.
Intensive conservation efforts since the mid 1980s (population about
160 pairs) initiated the recovery to today’s national population
of 243 breeding pairs. The Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds (RSPB) works closely with Dstl throughout the breeding
season, all chicks being ringed to obtain information on breeding productivity
and mortality from year to year.
Designated as a Specially Protected Area (SPA) in 1993 for its stone
curlew, Porton Down currently supports 10% of the UK population.
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