Surfbirds News

The largest colony of Puffins in England, on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, was counted this year for the first time since 2003. The results show that numbers have dropped dramatically, from 55,674 breeding pairs in 2003 to just 36,500 this year.

Puffins, Farne Islands, July 2008 © Glynn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

Eight islands in the group were surveyed and Puffins had declined on all of them, some had even halved their populations. A similar survey on the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, Scotland showed a decline from 69,300 to 41,000 pairs.

The National Trust’s head warden on the Farne Islands, David Steel, said: "The results from this survey have completely surprised us as we were predicting another rise in the numbers of breeding pairs. Stocks of sandeels, the staple food of puffins in the summer, are in good supply around the Islands and there is a lack of ground predators creating a good environment for puffins to breed.

"Extensive monitoring work shows that good numbers of young puffins are successfully fledging each year but it would appear they're just not coming back to the Islands the following years. Presumably fewer birds are surviving overwinter than are needed to maintain current numbers.”

Scientists say they urgently need to know more about what happens to Puffins when they are out at sea during the winter months, especially which factors are vital for their survival. Whether climate change is involved, or over-fishing, is not clear.

Source: Birdwatch magazine