A review of the status of the UK’s breeding seabird populations has seen five species added to the Red list of highest conservation concern.

Arctic Tern, Leach’s Storm-petrel, Common Gull and Great Black-backed Gull join other seabird species such as Puffin because of severe population declines driven by multiple pressures, in particular climate change impacts, invasive predators and lack of food. In addition, ‘bird flu’ (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or HPAI) has caused population declines in several other seabird species and has led to Great Skua being added to the Red list.

• One species, Shag, moved off the Red list owing to a better understanding of their population status.

Scientists reviewing the conservation status of the UK’s breeding seabird populations have revealed that five species have been added to the Red list of greatest conservation concern. A study published in the journal British Birds today sees the addition of Leach’s Storm-petrel, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Arctic Tern and Great Skua to this unenviable list. They join Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Roseate Tern, Arctic Skua and Puffin.

Twenty-eight seabird species were assessed against a set of standardised criteria and, apart from two species that no longer breed here, placed on either the Green, Amber or Red list – indicating an increasing level of conservation concern. These latest results, added to the Birds of Conservation Concern review published in 2021, shows that of 245 regularly occurring bird species in the UK, 73 (30%) now appear on the UK Red list of species of high conservation concern.

This latest assessment uses data collected during the last national seabird census, Seabirds Count, which was published in November 2023, supplemented with data from the BTO/JNCC Seabird Monitoring Programme. These monitoring activities are essential to show how our seabirds, and the wider marine environment, are faring. A recent survey led by RSPB to investigate the impacts of bird flu was also a critical part of the evidence for some species.

Katie-jo Luxton, Global Conservation Director for the RSPB said: “This latest health check on our seabird populations reveals devastating declines in the overall status of the UK’s breeding seabirds.

“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. We need urgent action from our governments to address this dire situation to tackle the drivers of these declines and enable recovery.

“We are calling for robust and resourced Seabird Conservation Strategies that can deliver rapid protection of seabird breeding islands from invasive predators, improvements in the marine protected areas network for seabirds, better spatial planning of marine developments to avoid important areas, better fisheries management to ensure there are sufficient prey species and new measures on boats that tackle the bycatch of seabirds in fishing gear.”

The UK remains an internationally important place for breeding seabirds. Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands support the majority of the global populations of breeding Manx Shearwater (96%), Northern Gannet (70%) and Great Skua (64-67%). A visit to any seabird colony during the breeding season remains one of the most accessible and spectacular wildlife experiences enjoyed in the UK. The continuing trend of decline in many of these populations is of great concern.

Seabird populations are facing a growing list of threats and pressures that include changes in prey availability due to climate change and overfishing, entanglement in fishing gear, invasive predators eating eggs and chicks and offshore renewable energy development in important foraging zones, as well as climate impacts on nesting and breeding success. The vulnerability of our seabirds to disease has also been seen, with the Great Skua’s inclusion on the Red list attributed to the widespread outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or ‘bird flu’ between 2021 and 2023.

It’s not all bad news as Shag moves from the Red to the Amber list, and Black Guillemot joins Cormorant on the Green list as new information helps to shed light on their populations.

There is also cause for hope as there are clear actions that can be taken to address the many pressures facing our seabirds and in doing so improve their future prospects.

The England Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway provides a list of recommended actions and the devolved UK governments are assessing actions that, if implemented, could turn around the fortunes of the UK’s seabirds.

Some actions are already underway. The decisions by the UK and Scottish Governments to close Sandeel fisheries is a significant step and projects to remove invasive predators from seabird islands across the UK are demonstrating promising results. Yet much more is needed to reverse declining seabird populations. Implementation and delivery of robust and well-resourced national Seabird Conservation Strategies are essential to that goal.

David Noble, Principal Ecologist at the BTO, said: “Seabirds are an iconic part of nature along our coastlines, whether foraging on beaches and rocky shores, patrolling urban seafronts or breeding in spectacular colonies on cliffs. The multiple pressures that they face from reductions in food sources caused by climate change and over-fishing, from invasive nest predators on islands and avian flu have resulted in some significant changes in numbers. Continued monitoring, by volunteers as well as professionals, is essential to provide timely evidence of the impact of these and other threats, and to assess the effectiveness of any conservation actions.”

NatureScot’s Deputy Director of Nature and Climate, Eileen Stuart said: “The results from this latest report are extremely concerning. Our seabird populations are now declining at an alarming rate, with even more species being added to the UK Red List. If we are to safeguard Scotland’s internationally important seabirds for the future, we must act now. Crucial to this will be Scotland’s new biodiversity strategy and the Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy, which will help us identify and prioritise potential conservation actions that will support seabird recovery. There is no single solution, but NatureScot and our partners will work diligently together to reduce the pressures our seabirds are facing and build the resilience of our seabird populations for generations to come.”

Dr Gemma Harper OBE, Chief Executive of JNCC said “The worsening status of some of the UK’s breeding seabirds highlights how our marine environment is struggling to withstand the demands we are making of it and the increasing impacts of climate change. Our monitoring activities, through the Seabird Monitoring Programme and Seabirds Count, are vital for identifying the main drivers of seabird population change, highlighting what research is needed to develop and test effective management options, and provide the building blocks of future seabird conservation and recovery,”

Mary Lewis, Sustainable Places – Land and Sea Manager, Natural Resources Wales said: “Our stunning UK coastline, remote open moorland and parts of our urban environments are home to over 8.4 million breeding seabirds, of which c.1.4 million seabirds are found in Wales. Many of these species are of global or international importance. Alarmingly, this health check of our seabird populations suggests out of the 25 UK breeding seabirds, ten species are now on the Red list with a further 14 on the Amber list. These figures represent one of the highest levels of conservation concern for a collective bird group in the UK and in Wales. Never has there been a greater need for collaborative effort. The proposed Welsh Seabird Conservation Strategy will be vital to set the strategic direction for the conservation of our Welsh seabird populations, some of which Wales has an international responsibility.”

NIEA’s Head of Natural Science Dr Sara McGuckin said: “This latest assessment of the conservation status of the UK’s seabirds, which has seen more species added to the Red list of highest conservation concern, is alarming, highlighting the pressures on these species. I would like to thank all of the fieldworkers, many who are long-term volunteers, for collecting this critical annual data on seabird numbers and trends and encourage them to continue their efforts to inform the necessary conservation policies and actions to safeguard and restore these important species. DAERA intends to consult on a co-designed draft Seabird Conservation Strategy for Northern Ireland this Autumn.”

The first Birds of Conservation Concern report was published in 1996 and has been updated approximately every six years, with the next full assessment due in 2027.