New research carried out in Galway, Mayo and Donegal shows numbers of the rare Corncrake are on the rise.
The study was carried out by ATU, which says the tide is turning slowly on the endangered bird.
The very distinctive sound of the Corncrake, a bird once abundant in rural Ireland but now an endangered species.
There were thousands of breeding pairs in the 1970s, but that dwindled to less than 200 in recent years.
The cause is varied - but includes changes in land use, intensification of agriculture, and more predators.
But according to research carried out by ATU in Galway, Mayo and Donegal using special acoustic devices and thermal drones, the tide is now turning.
A key factor is the efforts made by many farmers, adapting their practices to protect habitats.
This doesn't just protect the Corncrake - but leads to the restoration of a wider flourishing habitat including insects, amphibians and other ground-nesting birds.
This EU funded study was carried out by Dr Andrea Parisi, based at the ATU Marine and Freshwater Research Centre at the Dublin Road campus.
