From Scotland to the Pego-Oliva Marsh: Twelve New Osprey Chicks Arrive

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From Scotland to the Pego-Oliva Marsh: Twelve New Osprey Chicks Arrive

  • The chicks have arrived from Inverness, Scotland, as part of a project led by the Valencian Government, in collaboration with Fundación Migres, the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Fundación Iberdrola España, aimed at restoring a self-sustaining breeding population of this endangered species.
  • Fundación Iberdrola España is supporting the project this year with a budget of €100,000, double the amount provided in previous years, as part of its commitment to biodiversity and the conservation of protected species.
  • The arrival of these new chicks coincides with the project’s first consolidated results: four birds released in 2024 have returned after completing their first migration, together with another male released in 2023.

The Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park has once again welcomed twelve osprey chicks from Inverness, Scotland, as part of the ongoing programme to reintroduce this species to the Valencian Community.

The chicks have travelled nearly 2,700 kilometres under the supervision of experts from Fundación Migres and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation before arriving at the nature reserve, where they have been placed in hacking cages used for acclimatization and field rearing.

Iberdrola has supported the initiative through its foundation since 2022, under a collaboration agreement between the Valencian Government, Fundación Migres and the Roy Dennis Foundation. The project seeks to restore and reintroduce ospreys to the Valencian Community, with the ultimate goal of establishing a self-sustaining breeding population.

During this new phase, the Valencian Government’s technical team will monitor, care for and feed the chicks over the coming months until they reach the appropriate size and weight for release. They will then begin their migration to Africa, where they are expected to remain for around two years before attempting to return to Spain, ideally to the Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park, although some may settle elsewhere in the country.

The welcome event held in Pego was attended by Luis Gomis, Director General for Natural and Animal Environment, members of the Valencian Government’s environmental department, representatives from Pego and neighbouring municipalities, Ramón Castresana, Director of Fundación Iberdrola España, Ibán Molina, Iberdrola’s Institutional Delegate in the Valencian Community, as well as representatives from Fundación Migres, including Itziar Colodro, and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.

Since the programme began, encouraging results have continued to emerge. This season, five previously released birds have been identified. Four of them were released in 2024: one female spotted in the Ses Salines Natural Park in Ibiza and three males. One was located in the Estanys d’Almenara Natural Area, another in the Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park, and the third in the Almenara Marsh.

In addition, a male released in 2023 was sighted again near Pego-Oliva and later at one of the new nests installed in the Albufera Natural Park.

According to Ramón Castresana, Director of Fundación Iberdrola España, support for the project has been doubled this year, reaching €100,000:

“This reflects the Foundation’s strong commitment to the conservation and recovery of emblematic species that form part of our biodiversity. The arrival of these twelve new osprey chicks from Scotland marks another milestone in an initiative of great environmental value, demonstrating how collaboration between public administrations, scientific organisations and entities committed to protecting nature and the environment can generate tangible and lasting results.”

The programme envisages the release of around one hundred chicks over a five-year period. It currently benefits from the support of donor countries such as Scotland, with Sweden and Norway expected to join future phases of the project

With the arrival of these new birds, the Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park further strengthens its role as a strategic site for osprey recovery in the Valencian Community and as a benchmark area for biodiversity conservation.

Fundación Iberdrola España: Committed to Environmental Protection

Fundación Iberdrola España is firmly committed to protecting the environment and biodiversity. This commitment is reflected in a wide range of initiatives aligned with its Strategic Plan, including support for endangered species conservation programmes and the restoration of protected habitats. [

The Foundation works alongside institutions and companies to improve ecological environments and protect biodiversity. Among other initiatives, it is a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Jaume I Awards for Environmental Protection, which recognise individuals whose research has contributed significantly to improving the natural environment.