Conservationists are celebrating a file yr for a uncommon wetlands chook at a West Yorkshire nature park.
The RSPB stated 2023 noticed a surge in breeding pairs of Black-necked grebes, with 30% of the UK inhabitants dwelling at St Aidan’s Nature Park close to Leeds.
Black-necked grebes are on the Birds of Conservation Concern’s “amber” record – that means average concern amongst specialists.
The RSPB counted 18 breeding pairs at St Aidan’s, with the charity hopeful of “good numbers” once more this spring.
These pairs additionally fledged the joint second-highest depend of chicks, with 12 in complete, bringing hopes that numbers will enhance in future.
In comparability, there have been 12 pairs on the web site in 2015 and 17 in 2021.
Conservationists at St Aidan’s labored to fastidiously handle water ranges and create new areas of shallow water and dense reeds to permit the grebes to feed and nest.
Black-necked grebes are one of many rarest breeding birds within the UK, the RSPB says, and are distinctive for his or her tufts of golden feathers and crimson eyes.
This time of yr marks the species’ breeding season after they begin to carry out a courtship dance.
This includes the female and male swimming in tandem, mirroring one another’s actions, wagging heads and culminating in a “penguin dance” the place they stand up out of the water breast to breast.
If the efforts to woo a mate are profitable, the birds then build floating nests amongst reeds.
RSPB St Aidan’s warden John Ingham stated: “Black-necked grebes aren’t simply one of many rarest breeding birds within the UK – they’re additionally one of the crucial lovely.
“Unmistakable with that piercing crimson eye and golden ear tufts, at a distance, they could be fairly unassuming with their diminutive measurement, however up shut they’re merely beautiful.
“Based on the profitable breeding season final yr and delicate winter, we might hope for good numbers of black-necked grebe once more this spring at RSPB St Aidan’s.”
But he warned that the birds face many challenges akin to lack of wetland habitats, excessive climate occasions brought on by local weather change, declines in small fish they depend on for feeding and the specter of illnesses akin to avian influenza.
Mr Ingham stated: “These threats make our work to keep up the proper habitat situations for wildlife like black-necked grebes all of the extra vital, particularly if we’re to benefit from the arrival of those lovely birds at RSPB nature reserves for a lot of years to come back.”
Visitors are urged to stay to paths to keep away from disturbing the birds, particularly throughout breeding season.
The UK inhabitants of black-necked grebes has averaged at round 54 pairs over the past 5 years.
They will be discovered all through North America, Europe and Asia – however the UK is on the sting of their breeding vary so the inhabitants in Britain may be very small.
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story concepts to [email protected].
