Scottish Rewilding Shows 261% Increase in Bird Species and Doubling of Bumblebee Varieties

A comprehensive analysis of over 100 rewilding sites across Scotland has delivered what researchers call "some of the strongest evidence yet that rewilding delivers measurable ecological recovery." The findings, led by Dr. Ross Macleod of Liverpool John Moores University, reveal dramatic increases in biodiversity across multiple species groups.

Bird species diversity increased by 261 percent across the studied sites, while breeding territories expanded by an astonishing 546 percent. Bumblebee and butterfly varieties doubled, indicating broad recovery across different types of wildlife and ecosystem functions.

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The results also highlight the recovery of specific species on Scotland's Orkney islands, where an ambitious program to eradicate invasive stoats is yielding remarkable results. Orkney voles — one of the UK's rarest mammals — are now "thriving" again, with the highest population numbers recorded since 2019. Hen harriers and short-eared owls, predatory birds that depend on vole populations, are also rebounding.

Rewilding involves allowing nature to reclaim and restore degraded landscapes with minimal human intervention, though it can include active measures like removing invasive species. The Scottish approach has combined habitat restoration, reduced grazing pressure, and targeted interventions against invasive species.

The scale of the biodiversity gains surprised even the researchers involved. The data demonstrates that well-managed rewilding projects can produce rapid and significant ecological improvements, providing a model for conservation efforts elsewhere in the UK and Europe.

Environmental groups have pointed to the findings as evidence that rewilding should be scaled up as part of national biodiversity strategies. With the UK committed to protecting 30 percent of its land and sea by 2030, successful rewilding sites offer a proven pathway to meeting those targets.