ONE of the UK's most charismatic birds has found a stronghold on the longest river in Scotland.

Conservationists say the population of bearded tits, which are only found in reedbeds, has become increasingly fragmented and isolated because of the historic loss of their habitat.

But data collated by RSPB Scotland has pinpointed that last year was a record-breaker for the species in the River Tay, with numbers more than doubling at the site after work to protect and conserve the reedbeds.

Experts monitored the birds by attaching miniature identification bands on their legs. They found 723 bearded tits at the Tay reedbeds in 2014, representing almost half (45 per cent) of the bearded tits ringed in Britain last year.

Heather McCallum, RSPB Scotland reserves ecologist, said: "This data not only underlines the importance of the Tay reedbeds to the population but also demonstrates how the careful management of this environment has enabled these birds to thrive here.

“Bearded tits are an amber list species and although 2014 was a good year for them at the Tay they are vulnerable to severe winters. Numbers can fluctuate year on year so it’s vital that we continue to manage the reedbeds to maximise the quality of their habitat."

The ringing work was undertaken by the Tay Ringing Group along with Iain Malzer, whose PhD research is revealing more about the movements of these birds.

Mr Malzer said the "staggering" numbers recorded on the Tay last year were down to a combination of management of the habitat and favourable breeding conditions.

He said: “The bearded tits on the Tay are reacting positively to RSPB Scotland’s reed management and over the course of the study we’ve learned lots about how these birds interact with their specialist habitat.

“We placed radio-trackers on close to 40 bearded tits over two breeding seasons, allowing us real insight into the habitat selection of these normally elusive birds.

"We noticed that, while old, dry, patches of reed are critical for nesting, almost all foraging trips occurred in more open, previously managed reed where invertebrates were easier to catch.

"The key looks to be in creating patches of reed at different ages, offering a variety of resources for the bearded tits to exploit."

He added: "Appropriate management at this site could even help encourage these birds to spread and occupy new reedbeds.”