Thirty years ago, ground-nesting stone-curlews were on the brink of being wiped out.

But, thanks to a concerted effort by farmers, landowners, gamekeepers and conservationists, the decline of the yellow-eyed birds in the Brecks has been reversed.

The fortunes of the rare and iconic farmland species have been turned around and the number of pairs of stone-curlews breeding in the area has almost trebled.

By the late 1980s, the UK's population of stone-curlews had fallen by 85pc to a historic low of around 160 pairs, with nearly 100 of those in the Brecks. After the loss of the majority of their preferred grassland breeding habitats, many of the remaining stone-curlews started nesting on young crops in arable farmland, where further nests and chicks were lost to farming operations.

But, since 1985, a pioneering conservation partnership has given the birds a boost. There were nearly 250 pairs breeding in the Brecks in 2012 – about 70pc of them in arable farmland.

Andrew Holland, RSPB Brecks farmland adviser, said: 'If we're going to succeed in reversing long term species declines and loss of biodiversity, working together with farmers, landowners and shooting estates, as well as conservation partners, on the scale of the whole landscape is key.'

A celebration to mark 30 years of working to help the stone-curlew was held in Thetford last night.

For a feature on the special landscape of the Brecks, see today's Farm and Country section, pages 62-63.