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Island bird counts reveal mixed picture

Eve ConnorNorth East and Cumbria
News imageNational Trust Four puffins are standing on a grey and white rock. They are clustered together, with two looking right, and two looking left. They have orange, yellow and dark blue beaks, with a white chest, orange feet, and black colouring on the tops of their heads, down their back. In the background, the sea is visible, but it is blurred out, to bring the focus to the puffins.National Trust
The Farne Islands is an internationally significant sanctuary for 200,000 seabirds each year

Bird counts on an island haven for seabirds have revealed a mixed picture.

The number of puffin breeding pairs on the Farne Islands in Northumberland has dropped by 23% in a year from 50,103 to 38,500 breeding pairs, the National Trust said.

However, it cautioned against interpreting the drop as a sudden population decline after the island was hit by bird flu and storms in recent years which killed thousands.

The annual count also revealed Arctic terns had increased by more than 26% from 410 to 519 nesting pairs and it was important the "broader context of global trends" was taken into account, the trust said.

Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation for the trust, said although puffins were impacted by bird flu in 2022/23, they were "not as impacted as other species" due to their "naturally self-isolating behaviour".

He also said the shift to annual monitoring in 2019 reflected the trust's commitment to understanding and protecting puffins long term.

News imagePA/National Trust A close up shot of a tern with its striking red beak open. It is sitting in a brown straw nest snuggling with two fluffy brown and white chicks whose heads are visible below its white, folded wing. The adult tern's head is half black and the rest of it is snow-like white. PA/National Trust
The Arctic terns population has leapt by 26% in a year to 519 nesting pairs

Implementing measures to deter seals from disturbing puffin nesting areas and encouraging them to remain within their usual pupping areas, were also helping to protect species, Mr McCarthy said.

The survey also revealed other species had struggled in the last year including Common tern numbers with breeding pairs halving from 10 to 5.

News imageNational Trust A singular puffin is flying, with both wings outstretched. It's orange, yellow and dark blue beaks and orange feet are very bright in the sunlight. It has a white chest and black colouring on the tops of its heads, down its back. In the background, green grass is visible, but it is blurred out, to bring the focus to the puffin.National Trust
The trust said puffins were not as impacted by bird flu because of their naturally self-isolating behaviour

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