First successful breeding attempt of cranes in Ireland for 300 years?

Since the 1700s the common crane has been extinct in Ireland. Today the Irish Times reported about a breeding pair of cranes in a rewetted bog in the Midlands referring to the ecologist Mark McCorry from Bord na Móna. Conservationists have already noticed breeding attempts the last two years, but unfortunately, they remained without success. As it usually takes some years for the cranes to fledge successfully, it is hoped to see the first breeding success in Ireland for hundreds of years this summer.

The nesting site is located in a former peat cutting area. Draining of wetlands as well as the use of cranes as pets or even as a delicacy in the Middle Ages led to the loss of the species in Ireland between 1600 and 1700. Bord na Móna, Irelands largest peat production company, has stopped its activities in peat extraction and is now engaged in renewable energies and the rehabilitation of wetlands. The company and conservationists wish to give important habitats back to the lost animal and plant species – including the common crane.

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