Tag Archives: sea birds
Scottish puffins survive the Spring wreck
Puffins observing the puffin count on the Isle of May (photo credit: Liz Mackley ) Earlier this year major storms in the North Atlantic led to thousands of dead puffins being washed ashore on the northern Scottish coast. There were real fears for the impact on the puffin population of Isle of May which is [...]
Puffins to cope with worst start to year for 50 years
One of Britain’s most lovable seabirds, the puffin, is having one of the worst starts to the year for over 50 years according to the RSPB. When they should be getting ready for the breeding season the birds are having to cope with the worst storms for half a century. The RSPB in Scotland have been receiving reports of hundreds of seabirds being [...]
Will fisheries discard ban force birds to relearn old tricks?
There is no doubt that the recent ban on fisheries discards will be good for the environment and the seas in the long-term. But in an intriguing study by scientists at Plymouth University it appears that some species of seabirds at least will need to relearn their old tricks of foraging for food rather than [...]
Changing climate reduces albatross by-catch in fishing line.
As the climate changes and redirects the worlds wind currents one group of birds are benefitting from the new patterns. The albatross appears to be gaining weight despite spending less time foraging and is also seeing better breeding success. A new study seems to suggest that a changing climate may not be all bad for some species of [...]
A new Golden Rule – a third for the birds
A new study has been proclaimed a classic in its own time and could be the basis of a new Golden Rule for bird ecology. The new study discovered that ensuring that fish stocks remain above a third of the highest previously recorded levels then bird species do well, once levels of fish drop then [...]
Impacts of tuna fishing on birds
Our blog earlier this week about the success of captive breeding of bluefin tuna is important because if we can successfully – and sustainably – farm tuna through aquaculture methods then we can help to relieve pressures on some of our most vulnerable sea birds. Currently there is limited amounts of tuna farming in Japan [...]