From rescued egg to proud parent: Curlew raised in Oudsbergen now has two chicks

A Eurasian curlew, once a rescued egg, has become a proud parent, successfully raising two chicks of its own. The bird, which was raised at the Nature Rescue Center in Oudsbergen, was released into the Paddepoel area in Glabbeek six years ago.

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An egg that once lay in our incubators grew into an adult curlew that is now bringing new life into nature.

This remarkable achievement is a significant reward for the efforts of the Nature Rescue Center. Six years prior, center staff collected a clutch of nine abandoned curlew eggs. They incubated and cared for the eggs, eventually releasing nine young curlews back into their natural habitat.

"An egg that once lay in our incubators grew into an adult curlew that is now bringing new life into nature," said Frederik Thoelen of the Nature Rescue Center. "We are, of course, very happy about this, especially since the bird stayed with us for quite a long time. For us, this is the icing on the cake."

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For us, this is the icing on the cake.

The curlew is a meadow bird that prefers open, grassy areas. It is currently an endangered species due to habitat loss and more frequent mowing of grasslands, which disrupts their ground-nesting habits. Thoelen emphasized that this news is particularly heartening given the species' steep decline, demonstrating that rescue, protection, and cooperation can make a tangible difference. He expressed hope that these new chicks will also return to breed successfully in the future.

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The species is declining sharply, so this news makes it even more beautiful. It shows that rescue, protection, follow-up, and cooperation can really make a difference.