UK Natural Reserves Act as 'Welcome Mat' for Birds

Nature reserves in the U.K. serve as a breeding ground for new bird species in the country, according to a new study.  Researchers have called these reserves "welcome mats for newcomers".

The study found that 18 of the 20 bird species that made the U.K. their home, first bred in these natural reserves, which provided ideal environment for the growth of the population.

Both changing climate and protected areas have been responsible for the arrival of birds such as Little Egrets and Cetti's Warblers and Common Cranes

"This study shows that the hugely important role that nature reserves and protected areas play will continue undiminished in the future," said Jonathan Hiley, a PhD student in the Department of Biology at the University of York, and first author of the study.

Rising temperatures have lead to changes in the migration pattern of certain birds. However, the study shows that birds may stay in a particular habitat if it provides quality habitat. And, according to the study, the birds in the U.K.'s natural reserves have found ideal places to breed.

"Data on the rarest breeding birds in the UK, collected over the last 40 years, supported the findings of the research. As birds colonise the UK, or move to new parts of the country, the majority of them move initially to areas protected for nature, underlining their importance for conservation of rare species," said Mark Holling, Secretary of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel and co-author of the study, according to a news release.

Dr. Richard Bradbury, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and co-author of the study said that changing climate may "prove catastrophic for wildlife in the long term if it continues unabated."

The study is published online in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.