This Bird Population Is On the Rise, 400 Years After Being Wiped Out

Cranes, large birds known for their long necks and legs, have made a major comeback on the United Kingdom’s soil after 400 years, thanks to conservation efforts and wetland protection.

“The return of cranes to the British landscape shows just how resilient nature can be when given the chance,” says Damon Bridge, chairman of the UK Crane Working Group. “If we want to see this success continue then these sites that cranes use and need must get adequate protection.”

The tall bird returned naturally in Norfolk in 1979, but conservation efforts were still needed for a proper comeback to happen. The Great Crane Project, which combines efforts from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, created habitat and improved the existing one, and hand-reared young birds released in Somerset. Today, there are some 200 birds throughout the UK, and in 2020 alone, 64 pairs of cranes produced 23 chicks.