Two thirds of Scots seabird species have declined in last 20 years

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Almost two-thirds of Scotland’s seabird species have declined over the last 20 years, a worrying new census has found.The Seabirds Count survey is the most comprehensive study of its kind and found numbers of 14 of the 23 seabird types which regularly breed in Scotland have fallen since 2000.Just three species have increased.

However, two of the increasing species, Great Skua and Northern Gannet, are among those worst-hit by deadly bird flu, which arrived after the census was complete.Causes of decline vary but the study cited predators, bad weather and a lack of food as the main reasons - with the latter two factors linked to climate change.The decline of fishing stocks due to human activities and warming oceans has led experts to warn of a starvation threat to seabirds, who rely on plucking small fish from near the surface of the water.Anne McCall of RSPB Scotland said: "Seabirds Count couldn't have come at a more crucial time given the increasing pressures facing our seabirds."For decades, our globally important seabird populations have been badly impacted as a result of human activities, whether through the introduction of predators to islands, the capture in fishing gear all the way through to the ever-increasing effects of climate change and the impacts this has on food availability and breeding success."The huge scale of seabird declines in Scotland shows these impacts starkly and it is clear there is an urgent need for effective actions that will help reverse the fortunes of seabirds."Increasing their resilience in the face of current and future threats is vital if we are to protect these amazing birds for future generations."The survey took place over the course of six years and was led by the Joint Nature