Curlew conservation project sees birds released at Lough Neagh

An innovative conservation project has saved the young of one of NI's most iconic birds, which had faced a wildfire threat.

Five curlew fledglings were successfully released near Lough Neagh

They had been saved as eggs in late spring when two nest sites were threatened by peatland fires.

In what was a conservation first, permission was sought and granted to collect the eggs and rear the birds to the point of release.

The project was the work of the Lough Neagh Partnership, which collaborated with other experts on it.

2 September 2020