Five types of seabirds have been classified as endangered or critically endangered on the UK red list.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has recently announced that five seabird species have been added to the UK red list, signaling their urgent need for conservation efforts. These species include the Arctic Tern, Leach’s Storm-petrel, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and Great Skua, all of which have experienced significant population declines.

In Scotland, where 23 seabird species call home and raise their young, nine of them are now on the Red List, with 12 on the Amber list and only two on the Green list. The newly added species join the Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Roseate Tern, Arctic Skua, and Puffin, which were already on the Red List. Scotland is home to more than half of the UK's seabirds, including significant populations of the five newly added species. In fact, Scotland's Great Skua population accounts for over half of the world's total, and their Gannets make up about half of the world's population.

Unfortunately, these seabird populations are facing an increasing number of threats. Changes in prey availability due to climate change and overfishing, entanglement in fishing gear, and the presence of invasive predators that eat their eggs are just a few of the challenges these birds are facing. In addition, they have also recently suffered devastating declines due to avian flu.

Helen McLachlan, head of marine policy for RSPB Scotland, expressed her concern over the declining status of UK's breeding seabirds. She emphasized that Scotland, being the UK's seabird stronghold, must take immediate action to address this issue. As an island nation, it may not come as a surprise that Scotland plays a crucial role in global seabird populations. However, what is truly shocking is the number of seabird species that have now been added to the Red List.

To learn more about the UK's wildlife, including seabirds, you can check out our wildlife stories. And for the latest issue of Scottish Field, don't forget to subscribe. Let's work together to protect and preserve these magnificent creatures for future generations to admire and appreciate.

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