Waders,Birds of Conservation,waders ireland,Breeding Wader Grant Scheme

Population estimates of waders including Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe have undergone significant declines in Ireland since the 1980s. Provisional results from the Bird Atlas programme of 2007-2011 highlight acute decreases on a national scale in the breeding ranges of a number of wader species. RSPB & BirdWatch Ireland compiled Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland 2008-2013, where the Red List indicates species of high conservation concern which includes Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Golden Plover and Corncrake; and an Amber

List which indicates species of medium conservation concern which includes Snipe. To counter this, the Breeding Wader Grant Scheme (BWGS) was introduced in 2005 in the Middle Shannon Callows SPA. The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme had also contributed to conservation work in this area. It is hoped that in the new phase 2013 onwards that these schemes will become more focused on wader conservation and traditional grazing practices on wet grassland and also with the introduction of some new innovative measures.