White heron – a species saved from extinction

Few people know that in Poland, along with the gray heron(Ardea cinerea), there is also the white heron(Ardea alba), which until recently was close to extinction. However, thanks to the determination of ecologists and ornithologists, as well as the introduction of strict protective regulations, the species has managed to be restored to its natural habitat. The white heron has thus become one of the symbols of effective conservation.

The white egret is a migratory bird with a slender body and snow-white plumage. It is found on every continent in the world except in circumpolar regions. It prefers aquatic environments such as wetlands, marshes, lakes, rivers and coastal meadows, where it easily finds food and suitable nesting sites. In Poland, the white heron is under strict protection. On the Red List of Birds of Poland and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, it is classified as a species of least concern (LC).

Hunters, former enemies of the white heron

Second half of the 19th century. and the beginning of the 20th century. was a period that almost led to the total extinction of the white heron. At that time, hunters were the biggest threat to its population. They hunted adult birds, mainly in the breeding colonies, in order to obtain showy white feathers used as a fashionable accessory for women’s hats. The scale of this practice is alarming – for example, in the first quarter of 1885. as many as 750,000 were sold in London. white heron skins.

Currently, the species is endangered mainly due to habitat degradation and loss due to human activities. Regulation of river channels, drainage of wetlands and logging lead to a reduction of white heron sites.

The bird’s ability to restore its population is also negatively affected by environmental pollution leading to reduced water quality and food availability. Climate change and the resulting increases in temperatures are forcing the white heron to seek new habitats located in northern parts of the globe.

White heron population recovery

The protection of the white heron began when a clear correlation was noticed between the intensity of hunting and the drastic decline in the number of these birds. At the beginning of the last century, a number of ornithological societies were formed with the goal of protecting the white heron. A ban on their hunting was introduced and they were placed under legal protection.

In 1979. The white heron was included in Annex I of the Wild Birds Directive(79/409/EEC), which in 2009. was transformed into the Birds Directive(2009/147/EC). In the same year, the white heron was also listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Their Habitats. The white heron is also covered by the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement(AEWA).

Thanks to these initiatives, many of the white heron’s foraging sites and habitats are now located within established nature reserves and protected areas, such as the Warta River Estuary National Park and Big Bend National Park in Texas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the white heron population currently ranges from 590,000. to 2.2 million individuals.

White heron increasingly common in Poland

The increase in white heron numbers in Europe has meant that the birds can increasingly be seen in Poland as well. According to the Monitoring of Polish Birds (MPP), the first nesting observations of this heron in Poland date back to 1997, when three breeding pairs were observed over the Biebrza River. In subsequent years, the number of recorded breeding pairs steadily increased. By 2010, 39 pairs were recorded, and between 2011 and 2015 the number increased to a range of 134-194 pairs.

In 2020. MPP has launched the Monitoring of the Gray and White Heron (MCZ), which has made it possible to more accurately track the population of these birds in Poland. Data from 2023. show that there were already more than 1,100 nesting pairs of white egrets in Poland. White Heron pairs, an increase of 14 percent. relative to 2022. and by as much as 40 percent. compared to 2020. The largest concentration of white egrets is at Lake Galaduš in the Suwałki region, where 22 percent nest. of the national population.

Conservation efforts for the white heron have yielded significant successes that have improved conditions for the species and increased its numbers, not only in Poland, but around the world. Current observations of white heron sites can be followed on the website of the non-profit organization Observation.org.

Photo. main: Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash