Newsletter / Blog
2011-11-04 Alarming declines in UK's seabird populations
The biggest
population declines were in the Northern Isles, with reserves in Orkney showing
significant drops in populations of sensitive species such as Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes. A full colony count at Marwick Head reserve on the
Orkney mainland showed a staggering 53%
decline in the total number of seabirds present since the last full census of
the UK's
seabird populations in 2000, and a 22%
decline since the last colony count in 2006.
The Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea - is strongly migratory, seeing two summers each
year as it migrates from its northern breeding grounds along a winding route to
the oceans around Antarctica and back, a round
trip of about 70,900 km each year. This is by far the longest regular
migration by any known animal. They are mainly grey and white plumaged, with a
red beak and feet, white forehead, a black nape and crown (streaked white), and
white cheeks. The upper wing is grey with a white leading edge, and the collar
is completely white, as is the rump. The deeply forked tail is whitish, with
grey outer webs. The hindcrown to the ear-coverts is black.
The kittiwakes – genus – Rissa - are closely related to the gull family Laridae.
They have a white head and body, grey back, grey wings tipped solid black and a
yellow bill. |