Public consultation launched to help protect rare birds at Highland loch

A public consultation has been launched by The Highland Council to develop local guidance that could help protect a rare species of bird at Loch Ruthven near Farr, south of Inverness.

A ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, Loch Ruthven is home to declining numbers of Slavonian grebes, one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds, but has become a more popular loch for water sports during the summer months.

Supported by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), NatureScot and the Local Access Forum, the consultation will run until Friday 16 May and invites feedback on potential guidance asking visitors not to canoe, paddleboard or swim at the east end of the loch between 1 March and 31 August.

Since 2020, an increase in water sports on the loch has led to more incidents of disturbance during the breeding season, when Slavonian grebes build hidden nests in reeds and swim out onto the open water to find food.

The entire UK breeding population of Slavonian grebes is usually found on lochs within 30 miles of Inverness and has fallen from a peak of around 80 breeding pairs in the early 1990s to only 15 in 2023. At Loch Ruthven, the number of breeding pairs has dropped to just three in 2024.

It is hoped that by reducing noise and movement on the loch, the birds would be more likely to achieve a successful breeding season preventing further decline in numbers.

The consultation is being hosted by The Highland Council, the local Access Authority with duties and powers to help manage outdoor access rights in their area.

For more information on the consultation and to share your views, please visit: Consultation on Local Access Guidance for Loch Ruthven

Loch Ruthven