The status of the gannet in Scotland in 2013-14

Murray, S.; Harris, M.P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9559-5830; Wanless, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2788-4606. 2015 The status of the gannet in Scotland in 2013-14. Scottish Birds, 35 (1). 3-18.

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Abstract/Summary

All 16 Gannet colonies in Scotland were counted in 2013–14. Combined colony totals indicated that Scotland currently holds 243,505 apparently occupied sites (58% and 46% of the east Atlantic and world populations, respectively). Numbers were divided very unevenly between the colonies with Bass Rock (now the world’s largest colony), St Kilda and Ailsa Craig together holding 70% of the Scottish population. Gannets started to nest on Barra Head, Berneray in 2007 and breeding may now be regular on Rockall. Numbers at St Kilda, Sule Stack and Scar Rocks were stable, but all other colonies had increased, some spectacularly. Overall the Scottish population increased by 33% between 2003–04 and 2013–14 at an average rate of increase of 2.9% per annum. Although the Gannet appears less vulnerable to climate change than many other UK seabirds, the proposed construction of major offshore wind farms close to colonies in the North Sea and the imminent ban on fishery discards, could pose future threats to this species.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	UKCEH Fellows Watt
ISSN:	0036-9144
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date made live:	18 Mar 2015 12:34 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/510050

Item Type:

Publication - Article

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

UKCEH Fellows
Watt

ISSN:

0036-9144

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment

Related URLs: