The chicks of rare birds – Aquatic Warblers – find a safe home in Žuvintas

Žymantas Morkvėnas, the manager of the project “LIFE4AquaticWarbler” during translocation.

In an effort to restore the population of a rare bird– the Aquatic Warbler – in the Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve, Lithuania, conservationists are raising their chicks here. The chicks came from the meadows of the other side of Lithuania – Nemunas Delta- , where early mowing or intensive grazing posed a serious threat to their survival.

“This spring has been very unusual. Due to the prolonged cold and dry conditions, most female Aquatic Warblers were late to begin nesting, remained hidden for a long time, and behaved unusually. The Aquatic Warbler is an exceptionally secretive bird, and finding their nests is a job that requires a great deal of patience and attention. But as soon as chicks started to hatch, we identified nests at risk and translocated them to a safe place,” says Žymantas Morkvėnas, head of the Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania and the manager of the project “LIFE4AquaticWarbler”.

a success story in tough conditions

Despite an exceptionally challenging season, there is good news: 52 Aquatic Warbler chicks have been successfully raised and are now living in the wetlands of Žuvintas. The Lithuanian team managed to implement the full translocation effort, even as the process stretched from one month to two. With long working hours and little sleep, the team transferred 11 nests with 53 chicks from the Nemunas Delta—where they faced the risk of early mowing or intensive grazing—into the safety of Žuvintas.

restoring a fragile population

The aim of this effort is to re-establish a stable local population of Aquatic Warblers in Žuvintas. In recent years, only 6–20 singing males have been observed here. While the wetland habitat remains suitable, the population was no longer regenerating naturally—putting it at risk of disappearing altogether.

Ringing of translocated Aquatic Warblers.

Translocation was first tested in Lithuania in 2018–2019, when 99 chicks were released. Many returned after wintering in Africa, proving the method’s effectiveness. Inspired by these results, similar efforts have since started in Poland and are being planned in Germany and Hungary.

This year, Lithuania also tested a new approach: sourcing chicks from the smaller, more vulnerable population of 200–300 males in the Nemunas Delta. Only nests at risk of destruction were selected, allowing conservationists to save birds with little chance of survival in the wild, while also strengthening another population.

a symbol of living ecosystems

The Aquatic Warbler is one of the rarest birds in Europe, with its population declining by 95% over the past century. It now breeds in just four countries—Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania. But where it thrives, so do many other species. Protecting this one bird helps preserve the health of entire wetland ecosystems.

With 52 strong chicks already returned to nature, this year’s effort in Žuvintas stands as a bright spot in a difficult season—proof that dedication, collaboration, and resilience can bring hope, even when nature doesn’t make it easy.