RSPB says seabird colonies are being “pushed to the brink”.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has called on governments in the UK to do more to protect seabird populations, as significant number continue to die from highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Since 2021, when the current outbreak of the H5N1 strain hit the UK, 21 of the 25 breeding seabird species found in the UK have tested positive for avian influenza, including red-listed kittiwakes and amber-listed guillemots and tern species.

Across the RSPB’s nature reserves, more than 3,000 birds have been recorded as having died of the virus this year, on top of 17,000 deaths last year.

Other sites across the UK have also been heavily hit by the virus. The total number of deaths is unknown, but it is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

The RSPB fears that it will be more difficult for populations of seabirds to regain their previous numbers than it will be for other species, as seabirds tend to be slow breeding. Some species don’t start breeding until they are five years old and only produce one or two chicks a year. This means it takes longer to replenish numbers after significant losses.

Jeff Knott, the RSPB’s director of policy and advocacy, said: “Our seabirds are in crisis, and this must be the moment that our governments step up to the challenge of addressing wider marine pressures and subsequent seabird declines.

“There is no time to waste, and so all four governments of the UK must urgently publish their long overdue Seabird Conservation Plans to help build the resilience and long-term health of our seabirds. Without robust measures to address these challenges, and with avian flu ripping across the UK as we speak, our seabird colonies are being pushed to the brink.”

The UK Government has said that it is following international best practice and the latest evidence to tackle the outbreak in wild birds.

UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: “We recognise that the current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza poses a significant threat to the UK’s wild bird populations and share the concerns about the impact on breeding populations, particularly seabirds that nest closely in large numbers. 
 
“We continue to keep the outbreak in wild birds under close review and are working with partners on appropriate actions. Alongside our year-round wild bird surveillance programme, we published the Marine Wildlife Bycatch Mitigation initiative, and are aiming to publish the English Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway later this year, which will assess seabird vulnerabilities and propose actions to address them.”

The public are encouraged to report dead birds to Defra (or DAERA in Northern Ireland).

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