European seabirds are under pressure. One in three species is threatened with extinction, according to data in a new report.
BirdLife International also says it estimates 38 per cent of seabirds in Europe have “decreasing trends”.
The Atlantic Puffin, in particular, faces a dire future, with an 89 percent projected decline across Britain and Ireland by 2050.
Key threats include over-fishing, invasive species, and climate change.
However, some species are bucking the trend. According to Birdlife, an EU funded project managed by the RSPB has “improved” the conservation prospects of Roseate Terns in the UK and Ireland.
The project helped better understand the pressure on the Roseate Tern population in north west Europe and in wintering areas in west Africa.
BirdLife International says more research is needed into emerging and under-studied threats to seabirds.
The charity warns that the development of offshore wind farms “has the potential to negatively impact protected marine birds”. Further study could help mitigate the effects, they argue.
There are also significant concerns about viruses endangering seabirds.
“Birdflu has existed since at least the 19th century, but the recent scale and severity of its impact on wild bird populations is unprecedented”, the report warns.
Preliminary data suggests “severe declines” in populations of Great Skua found particularly in the UK and Ireland.
“The UK’s Great Skua Catharacta skua population was reduced by between 50 percent and 90 percent in the 2022 breeding season.”