New figures show Cranes continue to recover after going extinct in the UK 400 years ago. In today’s blog Andrew Stanbury, RSPB Conservation Scientist, takes us through their comeback and how conservation action has played a vital role.
All too often in nature conservation, stories are full of doom and gloom; highlighting species in steep decline. However, today is World Wetland Day and this is a great opportunity to celebrate a real conservation success story; the return of Common Cranes to the UK.
A bird assigned to the history books?
Cranes became extinct as a breeding species in the UK during the 16th century. Prior to this, they were formerly quite common in certain areas; often featuring on the menus of medieval feasts or as quarry species. For example, a banquet to celebrate George Neville’s enthronement as Archbishop of York in September 1465 supposedly included 204 birds.
Cranes at RSPB Lakenheath Fen Nature Reserve (c) Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
The Crane’s return
After over 400 years Cranes began to return to the UK. In 1979 a small number colonised an area of the Norfolk Broads, and their subsequent expansion across eastern England and elsewhere in the UK gave some hope that they might be able to re-establish a viable breeding population.
During the first two decades, the recolonisation proceeded very slowly. The population stood at just four pairs nationally in 2000 and, therefore, there was need to boost their numbers. So, in 2010 the Great Crane Project was formed – a partnership between the RSPB, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, funded by Viridor Credits Environmental Company, to hand-rear and release Crane chicks on the Somerset Levels and Moors, creating another stronghold of Crane populations.
The Crane population in 2022
Since then, the population has expanded rapidly and 2022 was another good year, with at least 71 pairs present. Of these, up to 64 attempted to breed and fledged 39 young - the second best year on record since recolonisation. Just one fewer than 2021 and there may be other unknown pairs out there.
Around 300 young have now successfully fledged since recolonisation, with over half of these in the last five years alone. The UK population is now considered self-sustaining with high survival rates.
The UK population is now roughly a 50:50 split between those of wild origin mainly in the east of the country and those from the Great Crane Project in the Somerset Levels and the Severn Valley.
The importance of nature reserves and other protected sites
Since the start, conservation effort on wetland protection, restoration and creation has played an vital role in their recovery. Over 80% of the breeding population are found on protected sites, with 21 pairs on RSPB reserves alone. These protected sites offer the solitude, habitats and the sympathetic management required, as Cranes can be very sensitive to human disturbance, particularly while setting up territory and during the breeding season.
Lakenheath Fen Nature Reserve was once agricultural land, before being bought by the RSPB and converted into wetland - perfect for Cranes! (c) Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
However, the UK Government’s controversial Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, risks not only vital environmental regulations, but creates a hugely time consuming and distracting process, potentially delaying delivery of government commitments.
Many wetland sites across the UK are afforded the highest level of legal protection for nature. However, under the Retained EU Law Bill, Ministers would be given the power to weaken or to remove these laws, leaving these and many other of the very best places for nature across the UK far more vulnerable to harm.
The UK Government has made amibitious commitments to halt the decline in the abundance of species, and to protect 30% of our land and sea by 2030. It must now choose to strengthen, not dismantle, the laws for protected areas that are critical to the continued success of Common Crane and many other iconic wetland species
Where can I see them?
Cranes have now spread away from the Norfolk Broads to occupy other areas. Breeding Cranes recolonised Yorkshire in 2001, and the East Anglian Fens at our Lakenheath reserve in 2007, Scotland in 2012 and Wales in 2016.
Cranes are naturally secretive during the breeding period, but your best chance of seeing them on RSPB reserves is at West Sedgemoor, Lakenheath and the Nene Washes.
What next for the Cranes?
The future for Cranes in the UK currently looks positive and their population is predicted to continue to expand. Hopefully, more people will get the opportunity to watch and listen to the amazing birds distinctive dancing and echoing bugling courtship.
Today, February 2nd, marks World Wetlands Day, a day to celebrate this vital and increasingly vulnerable habitat. The Cranes show that active conservation of wetlands can reverse species decline and pave the way for returns of species not seen in centuries. For this rise to continue, however, we need to better protect existing sites and help create and maintain others.
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