Bush Stone-curlews, or Bush Thick-knees, were once widely distributed in Victoria. Sadly, they have suffered a significant decline and it is estimated there are fewer than 300 breeding pairs left on the Northern Victorian Plains. One of the main problems affecting this ground-dwelling bird is that their chances of breeding successfully are very low. Curlew eggs and young are particularly vulnerable to predation by foxes and cats. Trust for Nature has developed predator-free areas in the Goulburn Broken Catchment suitable for release of captive-bred curlews. Two 10 hectare areas of woodland have been fox and cat-proofed and vegetation is being managed to provide high-quality nesting, day-roost and feeding areas. The sites are on private land where landholders have an interest in supporting curlew conservation and managing woodland habitat.

“Managing this species in the wild is hampered by a lack of accurate information about how many are left and where they live. ”

 This is why Trust for Nature is conducting monitoring programs in collaboration with community groups. If you want to support the protection of Bush Stone-curlews in Victoria, please contact Trust for Nature: trustfornature@tfn.org.au.