Sam’s role as Curlew and People Officer for Curlew Connections Wales* is part of a 3 year project to work closely with landowners and farmers to improve the population of the diminishing curlew. Sam explained that curlew numbers have been severely depleted because of cutting for silage which clashes with bird nesting and chick rearing, plus forestry and increased numbers of predators. The purpose of the project partly is to identify breeding sites and then to monitor and protect nests with electric fencing so that the adults can incubate the eggs and rear the chicks until they are ready to fly at 6 weeks old.  Because the nests are on the ground, they are in danger of predators such as badgers and foxes. The most common habitats used by the birds is semi-improved grassland and dry heathland.