Rare seabirds breed on Rathlin Island for first time in decades

A rare seabird has been seen breeding on Rathlin Island for the first time in decades.

Manx shearwaters are an amber-listed species in the UK and Ireland that are highly vulnerable to various pressures and are considered to be at risk of decline.

Despite being a regular breeding ground for the species for years, none could be confirmed nesting on the island by the end of the 20th century.

Ric Else, senior research assistant for the LIFE Raft project, said: “This was exactly what I have been hoping to see for years – not just confirmation of Manx shearwaters attempting to nest on Rathlin but evidence that they are managing to breed successfully here.

Manx shearwaters are back on Rathlin Island (Greg Norman/RSPB/PA)

“All the long nights listening and watching from the clifftops finally paid off. With a small breeding population already present, the prospects are excellent for this species to increase again on Rathlin once the project has finished.

“It will be really exciting to monitor how the shearwaters fare in the coming years.”

Rathlin Island is home to Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony.

Last month, footage of young birds ready to fledge from their burrows provided confirmation of the species breeding successfully.

Liam McFaul, RSPB NI warden for Rathlin Island Reserve, said: “This is an incredibly exciting step forward for Rathlin’s seabirds. Seeing the footage of the Manx shearwater going into the burrows again on Rathlin is incredible.”

A £45 million initiative has been launched to protect vulnerable birds and other species on the island.

The aim is to remove non-native rats and ferrets from the island to benefit birds like the burrow-nesting Manx shearwaters, as well as puffins and black guillemots.

This initiative includes the LIFE Raft (Rathlin Acting for Tomorrow) project which has received funding from EU LIFE, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Mr McFaul added: “With our ongoing work and that from the LIFE Raft project, we hope the island will continue to be a seabird stronghold for future generations.

“Seabirds are a bird group facing many threats and suffering declines. Therefore, it is vital we continue this important work to make Rathlin Island a safe space for seabirds to inhabit and breed successfully.”