Very rare passage migrant which has bred in the past. 

In the nineteenth century Stone Curlews bred on most of the chalk hills of North Hertfordshire from Royston to Hitchin and Stevenage, but had declined by 1899. A national decline had been noted since 1870 as sheep numbers declined and breeding sites became overgrown from lack of grazing. Stone Curlew eggs were also taken in the past and sold as Plovers eggs. 

Foster (1914) described them as, “rare in the district, but locally a regular summer visitor.” The last recorded breeding in Hertfordshire was from the north east of the County in 1981. 

Four Records: one was shot at Box Wood in February 1933 whilst feeding with Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) (Hine 1934) and, after an absence of records for 74 years, single birds have since been seen at Norton Green Tip on; 4 April 2007, 21 April 2008 and, 28 and 29 April 2018.