Newport Wetlands: Rare bitterns breeds for first time in over 200 years

Adult bittern in flight at Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve

One of the UK's most rare and threatened bird species has successfully bred in Wales for the first time in more than 200 years.

Bittern chicks have fledged from two separate nests at the Newport Wetlands nature reserve, a unique site made up of wet grasslands, reedbeds, saltmarsh and saline lagoons.

Bitterns are a type of heron which live exclusively in reedbeds.

The species was once thought to be extinct in the UK.

Kevin Dupé, from Natural Resources Wales, who manage the site in partnership with RSPB Cymru and Newport City Council, has worked at the reserve for more than 19 years.

He said: "To see bitterns nesting at Newport Wetlands is a truly wonderful sight, and a real achievement for those of us who have been involved in habitat conservation at the site for a long time.

"In the last few years bitterns have been nesting and breeding in areas of north Wales where there has been extensive reedbed restoration, and we had only hoped to see the same success here."

Darryl Spittle, county bird recorder from the Gwent Ornithological Society, said: "It may have been the best part of 250 years since Bittern last fledged youngsters in the county."