UK Seabirds in 2005 : results from the UK Seabird Monitoring Programme

  • Seabirds in the UK were generally more productive in 2005 than in 2004, when productivity for many species reached an all-time low. A presumed scarcity of sandeels in 2004, especially in the North Sea, led to widespread starvation of chicks in the Northern Isles and in many places along the east coast of Britain (there is also recent evidence that prey fish were of unusually low energy content in 2004 around SE Scotland). The likely knock-on effect for 2005 was that there were few larger sandeels present (those that hatched in 2004) and it is thought that feeding on these fish allow adults to attain breeding condition in spring. This food scarcity and a cold spring led to what was among the latest breeding seasons on record. However, a late appearance of young sandeels allowed some chicks to fledge, and alternative prey species (such as sprat and small haddock) were taken also. However, it is thought that some chicks starved in this late season, as sandeels become unavailable in late summer, when they settle on the seabed. Unusually, 2005 was a very poor breeding season for many species in NW Scotland, which was spared the food shortages of 2004 and previous years; preferred prey during chick rearing were scarce in this region in 2005.

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Metadaten
Author:Matthew Parsons
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30-1131183
URL:http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-3627#download
ISBN:1-86107-573-1
Publisher:Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Place of publication:[Peterborough?]
Document Type:Report
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2009/07/28
Year of first Publication:2005
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Release Date:2009/07/28
Source:[Peterborough?] : Joint Nature Conservation Committee, c2005 ; http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-3627#download
HeBIS-PPN:218326947
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 59 Tiere (Zoologie) / 590 Tiere (Zoologie)
Sammlungen:Sammlung Biologie / Sondersammelgebiets-Volltexte
Licence (German):License LogoDeutsches Urheberrecht