Before 2012, there were no Cranes in Scotland. However their population has slowly crept up since the first birds arrived from England that year, and 2023 saw the highest number of breeding adults so far!
Overall, at least five pairs attempted to breed and between them they successfully fledged four chicks. These numbers might not sound particularly big, but given this is a species that was once extinct in the UK and only returned to Scotland a few years ago, the signs are incredibly positive. What's more Cranes are seeing similar success across the UK - there are now approximately 250 birds here in total, about 10% of which are in Scotland.
Despite being Scotland's tallest bird, Cranes can be very secretive and difficult to spot. One of the best places to see them however, is our Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve. Scottish Cranes are thought to leave our shores over the winter, so keep an eye out for them returning in the coming weeks.
So what happens next?
Well one of the main reasons Cranes previously became extinct was a lack of suitable habitat. They need a mixture of peatlands and wetlands for nesting, alongside traditional mixed farming systems for feeding. As many of these landscapes became lost or degraded, sadly they had nowhere left to go.
Fortunately however, we've seen that if we restore these habitats, Cranes will make use of them. The entirety of Scotland's population is based in Aberdeenshire which is home to many such sites and we've seen birds successfully nest on recently rewetted site.
The great thing about this is that by restoring these places, we're not just making more homes for Cranes, but also other wetland specialist species such as Curlews and Lapwings. Moreover, wetlands that are in good condition can store vast quantities of carbon and hold onto water during flooding, thus acting as vital tools to combat the effects of climate change. So let's hope Cranes will be smashing more records in the coming years, as we create more homes for them while securing a brighter future for nature.
Header image shows two adult Cranes feeding in a muddy field. All photos credited to Ron MacDonald.