A SPECIES of heron has hatched in Scotland for the first time.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland confirmed on Thursday that three Great White Egret chicks have hatched in Aberdeenshire.
The Great White Egret is a large, white heron. They have black feet and yellow beaks and are typically found in wetlands.
The chicks were born in the RSPB Scotland nature reserve on the Loch of Strathbeg.
In a post on Twitter/X, the charity wrote: “Fantastic news from Aberdeenshire! Great White Egret chicks have hatched in Scotland for the first time!
Fantastic news from Aberdeenshire! Great White Egret chicks have hatched in Scotland for the first time! These stunning birds have been spreading northwards from continental Europe over the past few decades, thanks to increased legal protection against persecution and protection… pic.twitter.com/BzsyycC6HQ
— RSPB Scotland (@RSPBScotland) August 22, 2024
“These stunning birds have been spreading northwards from continental Europe over the past few decades, thanks to increased legal protection against persecution and protection of their wetland homes.
“Now a pair have chosen to raise three chicks on our Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve. You can watch the family from the visitor centre, as the adults teach the juveniles to hunt in the marshes.”
The birds have an amber UK conservation status, meaning that the population is in decline but is not considered critically endangered.
According to the RSPB, around 35 Great White Egrets typically migrate to the UK during the winter months.
The news has been celebrated by social media users, with one writing: "Good news. A long way north too - another triumph for nature reserves."
However, naturalist and broadcaster Stephen Moss raised concerns that the birds were migrating northwards as a result of climate change.
Moss wrote: "I join in your welcoming of such a wonderful bird… but as well as the RSPB’s excellent work restoring wetlands, they are also moving north because of the climate crisis. So mixed feelings…"
To find out more information about the Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve, click here.
