Recently, the UK update on the bird’s conservation status has been made known as five seabird species have been added to England’s ‘red list’, putting them at a heightening risk of extinction. The newly red-listed seabirds include the Leach’s Storm-petrel, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Arctic Tern, and Great Skua. They’ve joined other critically endangered seabirds such as the Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Roseate Tern, Arctic Skua, and Puffin.
| Species | Key Features & Defining Characteristics |
| Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) | Medium size, gentle-looking gull. Small yellow bill, dark eye. Solid black wing-tips, appearing as if “dipped in ink” (a defining feature). Grey back, white underside. |
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Large gull. Grey back, white head/underside. Heavy yellow bill with a distinctive red spot on the lower mandible (the “gull’s spot”). Typically pink legs. |
| Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) | Medium size, very pale tern. Long, deeply forked tail. Black cap, black bill (can develop orange at the base in summer), and bright red legs. Has a hard-to-see rosy tint on the breast. |
| Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) | Medium size, predatory seabird. Stocky, streamlined body, pointed wings. Distinct, pointed central tail feathers. Two color phases (light and dark morphs). Noted for chasing other birds to steal food. |
| Puffin (Fratercula arctica) | Unmistakable, stocky black-and-white seabird. During breeding, it has a wonderfully large, multicolored, triangular bill (orange, yellow, and blue/gray) and a pale face with prominent red eye-rings. |
Why Are These Seabird Populations Under Threat ?
The red-listing is the result of an in-depth assessment conducted by a coalition of leading UK bird conservation organizations: 28 seabird species. The update categorizes birds onto the red, amber, or green list according to the level of threat towards their survival. Up-listing of the seabirds onto the red list just underlines the severe and growing threats.
Many factors give rise to a decline in the populations of seabirds:
- Climate Change: Changes in sea temperature and weather patterns are the availability of prey, wherein for example, warmer waters reduce plankton and small fish that are vital to be preyed on by seabirds; in this respect it also influences breeding success under changing conditions of nesting and food supplies.
- Overfishing: When the overall population of fish declines due to overfishing, this affects seabirds that depend on fish for sustenance. The birds find it very hard to feed on reduced fish populations; hence, their breeding successes are terribly low, while survival rates are also affected.
- Entanglement in Fishing Gear: Seabirds become entangled in abandoned or lost fishing gear such as nets and lines. This bycatch can result in injuries or death, further contributing to their population decline.
- Alien Predators: Non-native species, notably rats and cats, rank high among the seabird threats, above all for island-nesting species. They can destroy eggs, chicks, and even adult birds, thus breaking up breeding and population stability.
- Development of Offshore Renewable Energy: The primary issue here is the expansion of offshore wind farms and other renewable projects into key areas of seabird feeding, thus displacing them and altering their feeding patterns. This may lead to reduced foraging success and increased energy expenditure, adding to their population strain.
Seabird populations have also been afflicted with outbreaks of avian influenza. The diseases spread quickly among birds, which then die in large numbers, once again adding insult to injury among the already declining populations.
Urgency for Action
Katie-Jo Luxton, Global Conservation Director for the RSPB, has called for “urgent action” to reduce these disparate threats and allow seabird populations to recover. Of particular importance, the following actions are crucial for effective conservation:
- Improved Monitoring/Research: There is a pressing need for continuous monitoring of the population and breeding success of seabirds. This enables a fuller understanding of the level of the threat and allows assessments of the effectiveness of conservation measures. Research into the impacts of climate change, fishing practices, and other threats can inform targeted interventions.
- Protection of Critical Habitats: Protection of critical breeding and feeding habitats is paramount. This includes the establishment and management of marine protected areas, regulation of invasive species, and carrying out of offshore developments in such a manner that takes into consideration the interest of seabirds.
- Mitigation of Bycatch: The establishment of regulations that reduce bycatch-such as the use of bird-friendly fishing gear coupled with good waste management practices-prevents the chances of catching seabirds in fishing gear.
- Climate Change: In the light of mitigating climate change, reduce emissions and involve sustainable management of fisheries in order to maintain the habitat of the seabirds as well as their sources of food.
- Public Awareness and Participation: Public awareness of the seabird’s plight and the participation of local communities in its conservation may bring about support and positive change. Educational campaigns and citizen science projects can engage people in monitoring and protecting seabird populations.
This inclusion of the five seabird species on the UK’s ‘red list’ is a sobering reminder of the growing number of threats our marine avifauna faces. Challenges go hand in hand with scientific research, habitat protection, changes in policy, and engagement with the public. We now need urgent, concerted action if we are to try to stop the decline of these remarkable birds and ensure their survival for generations to come.
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