Avian flu has struck the internationally-important Coquet Island off Northumberland which is home to 82,000 seabirds.
The RSPB sanctuary also has the UK’s only roseate tern colony in the UK, which was driven to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. The disease has struck all four tern species on the island – roseate, common, sandwich and Arctic – plus gulls and eider ducks.
The island is also an important location for breeding puffins but so far there are no reported deaths for this species. Though the island is not open to the public, staff activity has been minimised and fencing erected to help prevent birds moving between different parts of the nesting colonies.
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Conservation efforts have seen the roseate tern nesting colony expand annually from 104 pairs in 2016 to 160 this year.
RSPB site manager Paul Morrison said: “Our work on Coquet Island is all about providing a safe space for birds to breed. This year we have had record numbers of roseate, Arctic, sandwich and common terns and the kittiwake population is the highest it has ever been.
“To go from enjoying another record- breaking season and our best year ever to facing the threat of this disease is a terrible blow. The terns in particular are all with chicks and when the adults die, so do the young birds.
“We are doing all we can to prevent the spread of this virus but we are incredibly concerned about it potential impact on what is an internantionally-important seabird colony.”
Jim Wardill, RSPB England operations director, said:”Bird flu is having a devastating impact on our seabirds, a population already under huge pressure from human impacts including climate change, lack of prey fish, death through entanglement in fishing gear and development pressure. Action must be taken now by UK Governments on leading on developing and implementing national response plans. It is vital to have a co-ordinated response.”
This year live images have been transmitted online from a camera inside a puffin nest box. This follows similar transmissions from the roseate tern nest box terraces. When the venture went live in 2017, there were more than 1.5m online visits from people between May and August.
In response to the crisis, the RSPB is running an emergency appeal. Donations will enable the charity to respond to the outbreak and help seabird numbers recover in the future. More information and details on how to donate can be found at rspb.org.uk/avianfluappeal.
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