Conservationists celebrate as long-vanished bird returns to the UK
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Return of white storks to the UK described as ’emblem’ for nature recovery
- White storks, once common in Britain, disappeared centuries ago due to hunting and habitat loss, but conservationists are working to reintroduce them.
- A reintroduction project in southern England, started in 2016, uses rescued storks to establish breeding colonies and attract wild birds.
- The Knepp Estate in West Sussex, which has been "rewilded" since 2000, provides a habitat where storks thrive due to healthy soils, diverse insect life, and suitable nesting trees.
- The first chicks were born in 2020, and in 2024, at least six birds born at Knepp returned from migration to nest in the colony, indicating a healthy ecosystem.
- The success at Knepp demonstrates that habitat restoration can lead to the return of species, with white storks serving as an "emblem for nature recovery" and positively impacting other wildlife.