Range & Status

Until recently this species was a migrant from southern Europe with a few reaching

Cornwall annually.

Regional Distribution

1997 saw the emergence of a possible breeding colony at Bake Lakes in Caradon. This colony has stabilised with some breeding success over the last ten years and the species is recorded throughout Cornwall locally with sporadic breeding records.

Habitat & Ecology

This species successfully breeds in a wide variety of shallow ponds, lakes and ditches and will tolerate some brackish water.

Threats

There is nothing specific to report apart from the fact that breeding colonies are still in the early stages of stabilisation.

Conservation

With breeding colonies gaining a tenuous foothold in Cornwall, known sites should be regularly visited and recorded and suitable new sites should be identified and monitored.