First confirmed breeding of little egrets in north-east Scotland

Four of the distinctive large white chicks have fledged at NatureScot’s Forvie National Nature Reserve (NNR) this summer, in what is thought to be the most northerly breeding record in the UK.

Little egrets are a recent colonist of the UK, where they were first recorded breeding in 1996. The first Scottish breeding record was in Dumfries and Galloway in 2020. The UK population is around 1,500-2,000 pairs but the Scottish population remains small.

Climate change is likely to be a factor driving the expansion of their range, with higher temperatures and milder winters making the UK more attractive for the species than it would have been several decades ago.

Over the longer-term, a reduction in persecution may also have helped the spread, as little egrets were extensively hunted in the 19^th century for their breeding plumes to adorn ladies’ hats.

NatureScot’s Forvie NNR manager Catriona Reid said: “For years now, we have seen little egrets pretty regularly on the reserve, fishing in the Ythan estuary, but we didn’t think they were breeding. That was until a local birder told us they had spotted egrets up a tree in the reserve’s heronry.

“Egrets often nest with herons, so we started to keep an eye on them and watched as a rudimentary nest was built. However, this was two months after egrets are said to usually breed, proving yet again that wildlife does not follow the rules!

“To our great surprise, almost before we knew it, there were four well-grown youngsters scrambling around the trees. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching them clamber about and hearing their bizarre gargling noises. Only one pair have bred this year, but a second pair have been hanging around, and we’ve also had a regional high count of 17 including the youngsters.

“While it has been wonderful to have them here, the sobering fact is that this is one small part of a much wider story where the ranges of birds and other species are moving as a result of our warming climate. While that will provide opportunities for some species like the little egret, others - such as the mountain-breeding dotterel - will be vulnerable and at risk. It underlines the urgent need for us to step up action to tackle the twin crises of nature loss and climate change.”

Monitoring and conservation work at National Nature Reserves (NNRs) such as Forvie is playing a vital role in tracking and helping us to understand these trends and respond.

NatureScot manages 29 NNRs, covering 41,300 hectares or 0.54% of Scotland’s land. These are special places where everyone can enjoy the very best of Scotland’s nature. They help protect an amazing range of wildlife and landscapes, including many rare species and habitats of international importance.

Find out more about Forvie National Nature Reserve.

ENDS