Endangered Seabirds Visiting Channel Islands

Credit: John Ovenden

French officials will hold talks with the Channel Islands' authorities to fill gaps in knowledge about the endangered Balearic Shearwater, which seems to have taken a liking to our islands.

There is only 25,000 Balearic Shearwater left in the world and is Europe's most endangered seabird.

However, the birds have taken a liking to the Channel Islands and have started flocking here in the Summer months in large groups.

Chris Sellares from Jersey's Birds on the Edge says they want to find out why they like the Channel Islands so much.

"Is it something that is good about our waters that attracts them? Is it something about the conditions here that allows them to withstand a few weeks here with us?"

"That [information] can be utilised to help us manage our waters in a better way and to understand a bit more about what is happening in our waters."

Credit: John Ovenden

French authorities want to hold a workshop with the Channel Island officials to see if as a collective we can find out more about the birds to help to save them from extinction.

The National Trust for Jersey and the Birds On The Edge partnership will host the talks with seabird experts from Normandie and Brittany.

Experts from the Natural Environment Teams in Guernsey and Jersey, the Alderney Wildlife Trust, the Alderney Bird Observatory, the Channel Islands Bird Ringing Scheme, the Societe Jersiaise, Durrell, and the National Trust for Jersey will also be in attendance.

When birds become endangered it can teach officials a lot about the state of the world, whether it is climate change, overfishing and loss of habitat.

 

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