Spoonbills Thrive in UK with Record Breeding Success
Once-extinct in the UK, spoonbills are now flourishing across multiple RSPB reserves, marking a significant conservation achievement.
- Spoonbills have returned to breed in Cambridgeshire for the first time since the 17th century.
- The RSPB Fairburn Ings reserve in Yorkshire has seen nine chicks fledge this year, with more expected.
- Conservation efforts have restored suitable wetland habitats, crucial for spoonbill breeding.
- The Holkham estate in Norfolk remains the largest breeding site, producing 90 fledged birds in 2023.
- Spoonbills, nicknamed 'teaspoons' when young, have become a popular attraction at several reserves.
The Guardian 
BBC 
Evening Standard 