In 2024, two Blyth’s reed warblers bred and raised young at a site in Highland, Scotland, according to the latest report from the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP).
The small, slender bird – which closely resembles a common reed warbler – typically breeds in Scandinavia and Russia, but its range has been shifting westwards through Europe in recent years.
Male Blyth’s reed warblers have been reported singing in spring in the UK since 2000, but this is the first time that a breeding pair has been documented.
Three other bird species have been confirmed breeding in the UK for the first time in the past 10 years: the Iberian chiffchaff, with its yellow breast and white belly; the striking black-crowned night heron; and the glossy ibis, a black wading bird with long legs and a curlew-like bill.
The new report also reveals record breeding populations of western cattle egrets, great white egrets, little egrets, Eurasian spoonbills and Eurasian bitterns.
“While much of the UK’s wildlife is struggling, we know that appropriate conservation effort can turn trends around,” says RBBP secretary Mark Eaton. “Many of our rarest breeding bird species are benefitting from conservation actions such as site management, habitat creation and legal protection, and flourishing as a result.”
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Top image: Blyth's reed warbler. Credit: Colin Bradshaw | RBBP
