In 2017, conservationists began moving young ospreys from Scotland to Dorset. Five years later, the birds bred in southern England for the first time since 1847. A long-term study led by Bournemouth University (BU) has now shown why the project worked and how similar methods could help birds of prey recover more quickly. Published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, the study found that fast population growth depends heavily on a small number of "pioneering pairs." These birds choose to nest far from established breeding colonies, helping the species spread into new areas.
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