The wet reedbeds along the small Linge River in the Netherlands host a small colony of some 30 pairs of Purple Herons. The area is a Natura 2000 site. Formerly, the birds bred in Nieuwe Zuider Lingedijk, another nearby Natura 2000 site.

Marshland restoration

In this region, Vogelbescherming Nederland and Bureau Waardenburg, our project partners, are exploring the possibilities to restore marshland habitats in collaboration with Staatsbosbeheer and the Waterschap Rivierenland. To this end, some current nature development projects are being adapted to the requirements of Purple Heron and new projects are also developed at three other places along the Linge.

These efforts aim to create opportunities for the establishment of a new breeding colony for Purple Heron and to reduce the vulnerability of the species in this part of the country where most of the breeding pairs are currently restricted to only two colonies.