Five seabirds added to UK Red List of most concern

Five seabird species are included on the UK Red List of birds most in want of conservation, together with puffins.

New entries embrace the Arctic tern, recognized for its unimaginable migration, the large skua, or sea plover, and two kinds of gull.

Britain is thought for its giant cliff-nesting seabird colonies – however their populations are in steep decline as a result of quite a few pressures, from local weather change to meals shortages.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has referred to as on the Government to take pressing motion to deal with “this appalling situation”.

“As an island nation, it's perhaps not surprising that we are globally important for seabird populations,” mentioned Katie-Jo Luxton, the RSPB's world conservation director.

“But what has really surprised us is that a large number of our seabird species are now on the Red List.”

Ten of the 26 seabirds that breed on Britain's coasts and islands at the moment are on the checklist.

The 5 new entries are as follows:

• Great black-backed gull – A really giant gull with black plumage and a strong beak that nests round coastlines, on cliffs, roofs, and islands

• Great Skua – Also referred to as the pirate of the ocean, it steals from different species and has been notably badly affected by avian flu

• Leach's Storm Petrel – An elusive seabird that nests on offshore islands, particularly on the northwest coast of Scotland
• Common Gull – A medium-sized gull that’s a lot rarer than its title suggests and nests round lakes in northern England and Scotland
• Arctic Tern – A coastal hen with white plumage and a black cap that breeds primarily in northern Britain and flies to Antarctica in winter

Five different seabirds had been already on the checklist – the puffin, kittiwake, herring gull, roseate tern and arctic skua.

Seabirds are in danger as a result of local weather change, unsustainable fishing practices, offshore renewable power growth and habitat loss.

According to final 12 months's seabird census, the UK's largest for 20 years, 62% of Britain's seabird species are in decline – Kittiwakes and Common Gulls have fallen by round 50% and puffins have fallen by 1 / 4.

“We should be really worried about this, because the UK is really important for breeding seabirds,” mentioned Don Balmer, survey head on the British Trust for Ornithology.

RSPB marine coverage officer Jean Duggan described it as a “warning”.

“It's not just about protecting these species for us at home, but also about safeguarding global populations and preventing future extinctions,” he mentioned.

There is nice information for some seabirds breeding within the UK, with the Shag being moved from the Red List to the Amber class and the Black Guillemot from Amber to Green.

But of the 245 birds commonly seen within the UK, together with farmland, woodland and backyard birds in addition to seabirds, 73 (30%) at the moment are on the Red List.