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- Systematic persecution over 150 years has left the eagle on the brink of extinction
- The marsh goshawk and white-tailed eagle populations are at an all-time high
- The results highlight that 2021 was also a good year for breeding rare herons
Ospreys are among four rare birds of prey now thriving at “record” levels in the UK, new figures have revealed.
Systematic persecution over 150 years meant that the eagle – also known as the fish hawk – was on the verge of extinction on these shores.
But numbers first rose in Scotland, and after the breed was reintroduced into central England in 1996, increasing numbers of the East Midlands population spread to Wales.
The 48th Annual Report of the Rare Birds Commission (RBBP) compiles breeding evidence for the UK’s rarest breeding birds, compiling information from volunteers who report sightings of their birds to recording networks.
Numbers of four rare birds of prey – the osprey, marsh harrier, goshawk and white-tailed eagle – are now higher than ever.
Due to reintroduction projects, ospreys now also breed in the East Midlands around Rutland Water and on the Dorset coast.
About 281 osprey pairs were reported to the commission in 2021, of which at least 232 laid eggs.
When the RBBP began collecting records in 1973, there were only 10 breeding pairs, all in northern Scotland.
But thanks to conservation efforts, the species is now breeding in all mainland counties of Scotland, as well as expanding south into northern England and establishing itself in Wales.
Some 281 pairs of osprey were reported to the commission in 2021, of which at least 232 laid eggs.
Due to reintroduction projects, the osprey is now also breeding in the East Midlands around Rutland Water and on the Dorset coast.
The report’s findings highlight that 2021 was also a good year for breeding rare herons, including the great egret and the egret.
But the fortunes of another rare bird of prey, the Montagu’s bird, were less favourable.
Only one male made a sustained effort to attract a mate and there were no records of any females.
Dr Mark Eaton, RBBP Secretary, said: “The Rare Bird Breeding Committee was established as an independent organization in 1973, so we have been monitoring and reporting on the numbers of the UK’s rarest breeding birds for 50 years.
“Our work supports vital conservation efforts on these birds, identifying species in need of help and directing conservation efforts.”
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