A pair of common cranes have successfully fledged a new chick in recent weeks, giving rise to the possibility that the species may be reintroduced into Ireland for the first time in at least 300 years.
The pair were observed with their fledging (a chick which has taken its first flight) on Bord na Móna rewetted peatlands in the midlands.
This occurrence marks the second time a chick has fledged and left Irish shores in the past two years. Before this, the species had no known cases of breeding in Ireland for over 300 years.
The common crane went extinct towards the end of the 17th century in Britain and Ireland. The bird was a popular food item and the draining of its wetlands resulted in its extinction some time between 1600 and 1700. The crane was a central figure in Irish mythology. The Curragh of Kildare means crane meadow.
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Ireland may be benefiting from a successful British reintroduction programme which has seen the population there increase from zero to 200 birds in recent years. The birds are distinguished by their height – many are more than a metre tall.
Last year, 71 pairs of the species were reported, the second highest level on record after 72 adults in 2021.
Additionally, there have been two separate sightings of common crane pairs in Offaly and Tipperary over the last few months. The sites where the birds have been spotted comprise of 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.
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.
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Sightings of common cranes in Irish skies 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.
Bord na Móna lead ecologist, Mark McCorry, said the crane sightings are a “positive sign” that the population 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”.
