Conservation work boosts UK’s rarest wetland birds

Conservation work boosts UK’s rarest wetland birds - British Trust for Ornithology

New report shows that the fate of some of the UK’s rarest birds are improving, thanks to improved protection and conservation efforts
Nine species of rare birds bred in their highest ever recorded numbers across the UK
Amongst these, the cattle egret has been one of the fastest European birds to expand their range - and may be here to stay

A new report published today (Monday 1 November) shows that conservation work is helping to boost the populations of some of the rarest birds in the UK, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

The annual report of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP), funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology and published in the journal British Birds, aims to track the progress of the country’s rarest breeding birds by compiling data from conservationists, scientists and thousands of volunteer birdwatchers across the UK. The RBBP would like to thank the many birdwatchers who contribute data, and the county bird recorders who collate this data on behalf of the RBBP.

The latest analysis shows that nine of these species have been counted at record levels. One of the species, the cattle egret is a relative newcomer. This graceful white heron was originally found in mainland Europe and Africa. They first bred in the UK in 2008 but did not breed again for nine years. However, cattle egrets have bred continuously for the last three years and may become a permanent resident.

In the 2019 breeding season, nineteen pairs were reported, of which nine were confirmed as breeding and at least 24 young were fledged. Cattle egrets have naturally and rapidly colonised many new areas including Australia and South America. It thought that a combination of improved protection and climate change has helped drive the expansion of its home range and increased arrival of birds in the UK.

Other wetland birds have fared well in the latest report. An increase in conservation effort, including legislative protection from hunting, is likely to have been the most important factor in the recovery of common crane and great white egret in Europe which has led to increased numbers in the UK, leading to their record totals of 48 and 24 breeding pairs respectively. The protection and management of wetland sites in the UK is enabling these species, and others, to prosper once they reach the UK.