Seabirds of the

Red-throated diver Lat gavia stellata This species was associated with UK red-throated diver bad weather in the Scottish islands, FR plongeon catmarin Northern Fulmar Lat fulmarus glacialis where its local name is ‘Rain Goose’. DE sterntaucher Fulmars protect themselves from UK northern fulmar It nests on small lakes near the predators (including humans) by fulmar boréal coast but feeds entirely at sea. NL roodkeelduiker FR spitting foul-smelling, sticky sto- DE eissturmvogel DK rødstrubet Lom mach oil. Potential attackers such Diet: predominantly , but also as Great Skuas leave fulmars alone NL noordse stormvogel . SE smålom and steal food from other seabirds. NO smålom DK rødstrubet lom Threats: highly vulnerable to Diet: variable quantities of fish, SE mallemuk coastal oil spills, highly sensitive squid and zooplankton (especially NO stormfågel to disturbance from coastal wind amphipods), fish offal and carrion farms, entanglement and drowning (whale blubber). in inshore fishing nets. Northern Gannet Lat morus bassanus The gannet is the largest seabird UK northern gannet  Threats: over 90% of fulmars have in the North Sea region with a two microscopic plastic particles in FR fou de bassan meter wingspan. their stomachs. DE basstölpel Diet: shoaling pelagic fish which NL jan-van-gent are mostly caught by plunge-diving DK sule from considerable heights. Attends trawlers and will form SE havssula large congregations where food NO havsule is plentiful.

Threats: longline fisheries, off- shore windfarms; also susceptible to marine litter. Shetland

Great Skua Lat stercorarius skua Great Skuas behave like pirates, UK great skua often stealing food from other FR grand labbe seabirds by pestering and harrying them until they let go of their prey DE skua Orkney or disgorge it out of fear. NL grote jager DK storkjove Norwegian Diet: a hugely varied diet and high- SE storlabb NORWAY ly opportunistic feeder. Individuals show individual specialisations in NO storjo Fladen Ground Trench diet and feeding with some colony- specific learning.

 Threats: climate change, discard Skagerrak reduction.

NORTH SEA DENMARK

Great Black-backed Gull Lat larus marinus This is the largest gull species in UK great black-backed gull the world. FR goéland marin DE mantelmöwe Diet: The species is omnivorous NL grote mantelmeeuw and opportunistic, its diet consis- ting of fish (discards), adult and DK svartbag Dogger Bank young , birds eggs, mammals SE havstrut German Bight (rabbits, lemmings, rats and mice), insects, marine (crus- NO svartbak taceans, molluscs) and carrion. Winterdispersion is strongly deter- Oyster Ground mined by the presence of fishing Red Throated Diver fleet. Northern Fulmar  Threats: The species is hunted for sport in Denmark. Northern Gannet Great Skua Frisian Front Great Black-backed Gull Black-legged Kittiwake Black-legged Kittiwake Lat rissa tridactyla Little Kittiwakes are the most pelagic of UK black-legged kittiwake gulls, rarely venturing inland. FR mouette tridactyle DE dreizehenmöwe Common Guillemot Diet: predominantly marine inverte- NL drieteenmeeuw brates (squid and shrimps) and fish DK ride (sandeel). At sea during the win- Brown Ridge ter also planktonic invertebrates. SE tretåig mås Often exploits sewage outfalls and NO krykkje Important habitats fishing vessels. for these species THE NETHERLANDS  Threats: depletion of food resour- ces (through over-fishing and Southern climate change), marine oil spills and oil pollution. Bight GERMANY BRITAIN

BELGIUM 0 100 200 km English Channel FRANCE

Common Guillemot Lat aalge Guillemots nest at high density UK Common Guillemot on narrow cliff ledges. FR Guillemot marmette DE Trottellumme Atlantic Puffin Lat fratercula arctica Diet: fish, including sandeels Lat alca torda NL Zeekoet Razorbill Puffins breed in burrows which they UK atlantic puffin and small species in the cod and often nest among boul- UK razorbill excavate with their sharp claws, herring families. Mainly forages DK Lomvie ders at the bottom of cliffs. Pursuit FR macareux moine FR petit pingouin often in grassy areas at the top of during daylight, diving to maximum SE Sillgrissla divers like razorbills, guillemots cliffs. DE papageitaucher depths of about 180 m. and puffins use their wings to ‘fly’ DE tordalk NO Lomvi NL papegaaiduiker under water. Spend most of their NL alk  Threats: because guillemots lives at sea, only coming ashore for Diet: catch most of their prey within DK lunde DK alk spend most of their lives at sea nesting. 30 m of the water surface. They SE lunnefågel and dive for their food, they are SE tordmule feed entirely on fish, such as her- very sensitive to oil pollution. ring and sandeel, and occasionally NO lunde NO alke Climate change. Diet: feed on fish and crustaceans, crustaceans. amongst other prey, diving as deep as 120 m.  Threats: Puffins are hunted for food in Iceland. Climate change.  Threats: depletion of food resources (climate change).

Ten typical North Sea birds Legal protection This poster highlights ten typical North Sea seabird species out of 31. Some ten million seabirds can All seabirds in the North Sea are protected by law through a number of international legal instruments and be found in and around the North Sea at given times during the year. Many of these seabirds breed in national legislation in the coastal States. colonies on islands and headlands off the coasts of the United Kingdom, Iceland and Scandinavia. After breeding, they disperse throughout the North Sea and beyond, into the . Key international instruments are: Outside the breeding season the birds lose their colourful appearance; in winter their • The EU Birds Directive that protects all species of seabirds naturally occurring in marine areas falling Little Auk Lat alle alle plumage is much paler. On this poster the birds are displayed in winter plumage. within the jurisdiction of the coastal States that are EU members. Little breed in vast colonies UK little auk in the far north, dispersing far out FR mergule nain • The EU Habitats Directive that establishes the ecological network of protected areas known as Natura to sea after breeding. After western 2000, which includes all sites designated for seabirds under the Birds Directive. Some Important storms the birds may occasionally DE krabbentaucher be found around the coasts of wes- NL kleine alk Threats Areas in the North Sea have been designated as protected areas, but many have yet to be designated. tern Europe. Seabirds suffer from most of the impacts that marine ecosystems are facing. Threats include: • The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive that requires the adoption of dedicated measures for the DK søkonge SE alkekung • Climate change, causing breeding failure and changing communities of plankton and fish; conservation of seabirds. It also requires mitigation of threats posed to seabirds as part of the broader Diet: Feed on small invertebrates • Overfishing, causing decreasing fish stocks and declining food resources for birds; programme of measures to achieve improvements in the environmental status of the marine environment. such as amphipods and shrimps NO alkekonge • By-catch: Many species are caught accidentally in fishing nets, where they drown; • The EU Common Fisheries Policy that plays a crucial role in the reduction of negative impacts of fishing and on fish larvae. • Pollution: for example, between the years 2000 and 2010 more than half the Common Guillemots activities on seabirds, including seabird bycatch. An Action Plan has been developed to reduce incidental  Threats: climate change and that washed ashore were polluted with oil; catches of seabirds in fishing gear and minimize seabird bycatch to levels which are as low as practically severe weather. • Habitat destruction and degradation, disturbance by human activities; possible. • Offshore wind farms; Disclaimer • Plastics: Plastic items remain in the environment for many years and may be eaten in mistake for food http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature Information on this poster is based on the best available data. Not all areas in the North Sea, especi- Coördination: Nadja Jansma & Jonna van Ulzen (VBN) by seabirds. Birds also become entangled in discarded plastic nets, ropes and packing materials. www.birdlife.org/worldwide/programmes/seabirds-and-marine ally offshore areas, are equally well surveyed for the presence of the selected birds. The poster gives a Under guidance of: Maarten Platteeuw (RWS) & Kees Camphuysen (NIOZ) simple representation of the most important areas for the selected seabirds in the North Sea, but it is Translation: Simon Delany www.birdlife.org/datazone/species important to bear in mind that these birds can be found over the entire North Sea, using different areas Illustrations: Elwin van der Kolk at different times of year. The poster should not be used as evidence in licensing and permitting proce- Design & production: Johan Bos (www.tiu.nl) dures. A reference to national and international legislation is required. © 2014