The UK red list of birds in need of conservation has seen the addition of five seabird species, including the Arctic tern and the giant skua. The colony populations of seabirds, known for their prevalence on cliffs, are decreasing rapidly. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has called for an immediate government response to the issue.
Katie-jo Luxton, RSPB global conservation director said, “As an island nation, it is perhaps not surprising that we are globally important for seabird populations. But what has really shocked us is the sheer number of our seabird species now on the red list.” Approximately ten out of the 26 seabirds in the UK have been added to the red list.
The five newly added species are the great black-backed gull, great skua, Leach’s storm petrel, common gull, and the Arctic tern. The puffin, kittiwake, herring gull, roseate tern, and arctic skua were already on the list. The decline in seabird populations is blamed on climate change, offshore renewable-energy development, unsustainable fishing practices, and habitat loss.
Last year’s Seabirds Count showed that of UK seabird species, 62% are in decline. While puffin numbers have declined by 25%, kittiwakes and common gulls have decreased by almost 50%. RSPB marine policy officer, Jean Duggan, described the situation as a “wake-up call”.
The shag has moved from the red list to the amber, and the black guillemot has moved from amber to green, indicating some good news for UK seabirds. However, according to the UK red list, 73 of the 245 birds regularly found in the UK, including garden, woodland, and farmland birds, are on the red list
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