White storks return to England’s midlands for first time in 600 years

Derbyshire: White storks have returned to England’s Midlands for the first time in more than 600 years, marking a major milestone in a national species recovery effort.

The iconic birds went extinct in the UK in the 15th century due to hunting and habitat loss. Now, three storks have been reintroduced to Willington Wetlands in Derbyshire as part of a wider rewilding programme.

The release follows successful work at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, where reintroduced storks have been breeding — a site conservationists call “where miracles of nature happen.”The 113-acre Derbyshire site sits beside the River Trent and has been identified as a critical stepping stone for stork recovery in the UK. The river also serves as an ecological corridor where beavers have been reintroduced.“

This whole project is about more than the return of an iconic bird – it’s about reigniting people’s sense of wonder in nature,” said Katie Last, a landscape officer at the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which led the release. “Their return offers a powerful opportunity to engage people in nature recovery, rewilding, and the restoration of lost species.”

Conservationists hope the Midlands wetlands will become part of a growing network of habitats helping white storks re-establish across England.