Record number of cranes bred in 2025 as UK’s tallest bird continues comeback
A record number of cranes bred in the UK last year, marking a major milestone in the comeback of the country’s tallest bird.
Cranes, which stand around a metre tall with a wingspan of up to two metres, were driven to extinction in Britain around 400 years ago due to over-hunting and the loss of wetland habitats.
However, the species has been making a steady recovery since the late 1970s through natural recolonisation from Europe, alongside major conservation efforts to restore wetlands and reintroduce the birds.
Conservationists said 87 pairs successfully bred in 2025, raising 37 chicks — the highest number on record.
The total UK population now stands at around 250 birds, including non-breeding individuals.
The recovery has been described as a “phenomenal achievement” and a clear example of what coordinated conservation action can deliver.
Cranes are known for their elaborate courtship dances and distinctive bugling calls, which can be heard from several miles away. Large flocks of more than 100 birds can now be seen in the Fens during winter.
Their range has also expanded northwards, with Scotland recording a new high of 10 breeding pairs producing nine chicks in 2025, up from six pairs the previous year.
According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the birds have benefited from landowners and conservation groups restoring wetlands that provide vital breeding grounds.
Today, at least 80% of the breeding population is found on protected sites, with a third located on RSPB reserves such as West Sedgemoor and Lakenheath Fen.
The recovery has also been supported by the Great Crane Project — a partnership between the RSPB, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust — which reintroduced cranes to the Somerset Levels by hatching and hand-rearing chicks before releasing them into the wild.
Dave Rogers, reserve manager at Lakenheath Fen, said habitat management had played a crucial role in supporting the species. Cutting back reeds during winter helps create landing spots and secluded nesting areas in shallow water.
He added that creating and protecting wetlands, along with reduced hunting pressure and a growing European population, had “made a real difference”.
“We often talk about the UK as being a very nature-depleted country, so getting something as iconic as cranes back shows we can change the fortunes of a landscape — and a species,” he said.
At Willow Tree Fen, managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, cranes have now been breeding for seven years, with numbers increasing from one pair to four, and more than 50 birds roosting at the site.
Warden John Oliver described the recovery as “a real conservation success” but warned that continued effort is needed to secure the species’ future.
Meanwhile, Martin McGill, reserve manager at WWT Slimbridge, cautioned that cranes remain vulnerable despite their recent success.
“Their habitats are at risk from the ever-increasing impacts of climate change,” he said. “It’s more important than ever to protect and restore larger, connected wetlands so this iconic bird can thrive long into the future.”