New Common Crane chick reported for second year as species returns to Midlands bog

Bord na Móna has today announced a confirmed fledging of a Common Crane chick on its rewetted peatlands for the second year running.

The recent breeding successes come after more than 300 years during which the species had no known cases of breeding in Ireland.

In a statement, Bord na Móna said a pair of Common Cranes had returned from their wintering grounds abroad to one of Bord na Móna's rewetted peatlands and had successfully fledged a new chick in recent weeks.

The Common Crane chick, which has taken its first flight (also known as fledging), will soon leave Ireland along with its parents and most likely spend the winter in Southern Europe.

This marks the second time a Common Crane chick, or chicks, has fledged and left Irish shores in the past two years.

In addition, there have been two separate sightings of Common Crane pairs in Offaly and Tipperary over the last few months.

"Further to last year's successful fledging of two Common Cranes in Ireland, we are delighted to report further fledging and additional sightings in recent months of this striking species on home soil," said Mark McCorry, Lead Ecologist at Bord na Móna.

"These sightings are a positive sign that the population of Common Cranes in Ireland may be on the rise, while also serving as a good indication that we are developing the right conditions and a favourable habitat to enable the species to thrive in this country."

The sites where these Common Cranes have been spotted comprise Bord na Móna cutaway bogs, which were formerly used to extract peat for energy production but have since been rewetted in recent years under different initiatives including as part of the company’s Peatlands Climate Action Scheme (PCAS) also referred to as EDRRS.

This EU funded scheme involves the rehabilitation of Bord na Móna’s peatlands, and aims to rewet drained peatlands for improved climate, environmental, ecological and hydrological impacts.

The benefits of bog rehabilitation include the return of carbon storage that occurs naturally in wet peatlands, as well as restored biodiversity with the revival of various plant and wildlife species, including potentially such species as the recently sighted Common Cranes.

Historically, the Common Crane was a breeding resident in Ireland but it had been extinct in this country since at least the end of the 16th century, if not longer.

Sightings in Irish skies of this species have increased in recent years during periods of migration and overwintering. This is largely attributable to ongoing population increases across the known breeding range, supported in part by conservation efforts but also natural factors such as climate change effects.

In recent years, efforts have been made by Bord na Móna to rehabilitate its peatland sites across Ireland to encourage climate action and the restoration of wildlife in general.

The company said these efforts now appear to be benefiting species like the Common Crane, which is more likely to continue to increase in Ireland now that suitable supporting habitat is available in rewetted peatland areas.

The restoration and rehabilitation of peatlands is also supporting habitat development for other native plant and animal species, including bog cotton, and other bird species of conservation concern such as Redshank and Lapwing.