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Birds on the brink
AVIAN influenza, now in its third year, has devastated sea birds, with population loss estimated at tens of thousands in the UK alone. According to the RSPB, 21 out of the country’s 25 breeding waterfowl species have tested positive for the virus since October 2021. ‘About 30,000 adult black-headed gulls —10% of the UK breeding population—have been lost since mid April,’ says Claire Smith, the charity’s senior policy officer for avian influenza. ‘Numbers of positive tests in peregrine are also high. It is thought great skuas, who were badly hit in both 2021 and 2022, are down 90% in some colonies.’
About 30,000 adult black-headed gulls have been lost since mid April
The RSPB is carrying out population counts to check how badly different colonies have been affected and urging national and devolved governments to publish their ‘long-overdue’ waterfowl-conservation strategies to help contain other pressures. From sand-eel fishing to predation and poorly sited development, ‘seabirds face a cocktail of threats to their survival, which these strategies must begin to tackle as the additional strain of [bird flu] pushes some species to the brink,’ notes Ms Smith.
The public can play its part, too, not least by taking part in surveys for species such as winter gulls, ducks or geese, and by steering clear of breeding or roosting birds to ensure they have the greatest chances of reproduction and survival. People should also report sightings of dead birds to the Defra helpline (0345 933 5577) and the British Trust for), although no one should touch (or let their dog touch) any visibly sick or dead birds.
