Prince Charles Releases Birds on Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate
This estate is for the birds—literally. This week, Prince Charles and nonprofit Natural England’s Chair, Tony Juniper, released baby Eurasian curlew birds on Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate. The bird is one of England's most iconic threatened species, and these efforts are part of Natural England's initiative to boost populations.
A quarter of the global breeding population of curlew live in the UK but the species is experiencing rapid declines in population—it is now red-listed, or most at risk for extinction. The curlew is Europe's largest "wading bird,"—birds that wade in water to forage for food. For the Sandringham project, 147 curlew eggs were taken from airfields (where they're at risk) and brought to a rearing facility in Norfolk. This week, over 80 chicks were ready for release at two Norfolk sites—the Sandringham Estate and Wild Ken Hill, a nearby farm.
Prince Charles shared his own excitement about the project. "I have always cherished the evocative call of the curlew, but it is now dangerously close to being something that our grandchildren will never have the chance to enjoy," he said. "I am therefore particularly delighted that the Sandringham Estate has been able to assist in a small way the recovery of this wonderful bird."
He continued, thanking the conservationists: "This initiative would not have been possible without the tireless work of many people and organizations working in partnership towards a common aim. Every curlew nest is something to prize, nurture and protect, and it is utterly vital that we work together to turn this iconic bird’s fortunes around."
Some of the birds were fitted with GPS tags, so the organization can continue to monitor their progress. Conservationists hope that this project will increase the bird's prevalence. Noted Juniper, "Today’s release on the Sandringham Estate marks a significant milestone for the recovery of this iconic bird."
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