Seabirds, also known as marine birds, have evolved to thrive in the marine environment. Did you know that there are over 180 species found in Europe, each exhibiting diverse lifestyles, behaviours, and physical traits to ensure their survival and reproduction? Most marine birds possess dense, waterproof feathers and fat layers for insulation, feed in seawater by skimming the surface or diving below, live longer, breed later in life, nest in colonies, and produce fewer offspring than other birds. Some seabirds even undertake extensive migrations, with some species circumnavigating the globe [1].
Assessing the abundance and breeding success of marine birds is crucial for indicating a healthy environment. Since the mid-2000s, seabird abundance has generally declined, signalling unhealthy populations and environments. Seabirds face a variety of pressures, such as fishing, predation by invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change [2]. Ongoing seabird conservation efforts address these threats and include habitat protection, research and monitoring, mitigation tactics, community engagement, and policy advocacy.
This Map of the Week shows the number of marine bird observations, overlaid with the Natura 2000 sites, which are areas that protect important habitats for marine birds. One such site is Zeebrugge-Heist, on the Belgian coast (highlighted in the Map of the Week), hosting one of the largest breeding colonies of a seabird species, the ‘Sandwich Tern’ [3]. This medium-sided, sleek white bodied, black-crested bird with a yellow-tipped beak is a medium- to short-distance migrant that nests in shoreline colonies and hunts small schooling fish by aerial dives [3]. Despite past declines due to bird flu, successful mitigation tactics have replenished populations, making Zeebrugge-Heist a conservation success story [4]. This example highlights the importance of science and policy in addressing habitat and biodiversity loss, using open data from sources like EMODnet and EurOBIS (which have provided the data layers in this week’s Map of the Week) to inform conservation measures and to benefit all stakeholders, including you!
Wish to read more information on the Sandwich Tern, other marine bird species, and conservation efforts? Click on the links below.
- Sandwich Tern: Check out this Identification key to find out what the Sandwich Tern looks and sounds like!
- CBird Expert Group: Learn about the Circumpolar Seabird Expert Group (CBird) of the Biodiversity Working Group of the Arctic Council (CAFF) that promotes, facilitates, and coordinates seabird conservation, management, research and monitoring among circumpolar countries, and improves communication between seabird scientists, Indigenous Knowledge (IK) holders, managers, and the public inside and outside the Arctic!
- Another Tern Species: Read the National Geographic article on the Arctic Tern, a relative of the Sandwich Tern, which has evolved to migrate 30,000 kilometres (18,641 miles)!
- BirdLife International: To learn more about bird conservation, visit BirdLife International, a network focusing on preventing bird species extinction!
- IUCN Red List: Would you like to learn more about species conservation statuses? The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is a great resource!
Wish to create your own maps with the Atlas’ ‘My Locations’ tool? Learn how to use this tool by watching the video tutorial on the ‘My Locations’ and/or the video recording of the presentation made by the European Atlas of the Seas Team during the online workshop for teachers which took place on 4 December 2024.
[1] https://water.europa.eu/marine/europe-seas/biodiversity/seabirds
[3] https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandwich_Tern/overview