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Fieldworkers banding a shag. Photo © Annette Fayet

Report from the seabird monitoring in Norway in 2024

The SEAPOP annual report from the key-site monitoring presents important results.
A female (left) and male (right) common eider in drift ice. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

Sea ice affects population dynamics in common eiders

Melting ice creates barriers for an important predator.
Adult Northern fulmar Photo © Erlend Lorentzen, Norwegian Polar Institute

Bycatch of Northern fulmars in Norwegian longline fisheries

The risk of bycatch is shown to vary in time and space, but the population effects of the bycatch remain unclear.
Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) in a colony at Røst. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Breeding conditions affect colony attendance in Atlantic puffins

A 33-year time series reveals sexual differences in Atlantic puffin breeding behaviour as a result of changing conditions for breeding.
Map of SEATRACK fieldwork locations pr November 6, 2024. Map © SEATRACK

New SEATRACK web pages

On its own domain, and with a new layout and new possibilities.
A fieldworker is banding a great skua chick. Photo © Solveig Føreland/SEAPOP

Report from the seabird monitoring in Norway in 2023

Diving species had the highest breeding success, but most of the populations declined.
Adult great black-backed gull with leg bands. Photo © Tone K. Reiertsen

Modelling tool reveals causes of decline in great black-backs

Path modelling proves useful for finding causes for decline in seabird populations.
Brünnich's guillemots. Foto © Venke Ivarrud/SEAPOP

The distribution of selenium has been mapped in 17 colonies

Results indicate that protection against mercury toxicity varies between species and geographic regions.
Adult Brünnich's guillemot with chick. Photo © Hallvard Strøm

Surprises in the swimming migration of guillemot chicks

The chicks swim more actively than previously assumed.
Two Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) on a nest site. Photo © Marit Hegseth Rønning/SEAPOP

Summer neighbours choose different wintering areas

Their choices of wintering strategy may determine their future reproduction.
Northern gannet. Photo © Geir Helge Systad

Northern Gannets hit hard by high pathogenicity avian flu

Unusually high mortality recorded in more than 75 % of all known breeding colonies.
Great skua chick in a nest. Photo © Vegard Bang Fjeldheim

Environmental toxins in wintering areas may affect reproduction

Varying correlations between egg volume and mercury contamination has been found in breeding great skuas.
A flock of black-legged kittiwakes. Photo © Morten Ekker

Migrating seabirds take advantage of favourable winds

SEATRACK-data used to study the relationship between wind patterns and migrating movements.
Two banded, adult black-legged kittiwakes with a one-year-old. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

New status indicator for seabird populations

An important step towards a more coherent assessment of the status of seabird populations and their future development.
Seabirds feeding close to a fishing vessel. Photo © Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard

Increase in vessel interactions by fulmars

A pure cost/benefit optimization or a signal of something far more worrying?
Great skua monitoring. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Report from the seabird monitoring in Norway in 2022

Overview of the results from the key sites in SEAPOP.
Brünnich's guillemot landing with a blenny. Photo © Marion Lexau Nødseth

Foraging range relates to colony size

An eye-opening confirmation of an old theory regarding the foraging range of seabirds.
Black guillemot with a sand eel. Photo © Rob Barrett

Variable foraging patterns among black guillemots

Recommend the protection of shallow marine habitats, especially around breeding locations.
Northern gannet with seaweed. Photo © Rob Barrett

Better understanding of population dynamics in Northern gannets

Models based on a century of colony census data contribute to better conservation management.
Great Black-backed Gull over stormy sea. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Worrying global trend for the Great Black-backed Gull

Significant declines in certain areas.
Little auk with a full gular pouch. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

Increased inflow of Atlantic waters into the Arctic may threaten the little auk

A decreasing proportion of Arctic water leads to lower prey quality.
Waders and fulmars. Photo © Erlend Lorentzen

New assessment of the mercury contamination and the potential health risk to Arctic seabirds and shorebirds

Some seabirds are severely threatened by mercury exposure.
Two little auks in a colony on Spitsbergen. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

How to examine the breeding behaviour of cavity-nesting seabirds

New method can give valuable insight into the life of underground-nesting seabirds
Kittiwakes and aucks on breeding ledges. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Large study of the breeding phenology of seabirds across the North Atlantic

Do seabird populations adjust timing of breeding according to a shared environmental variable?
Resting puffin. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Raising offspring accelerates senescence in the Atlantic puffin

Negative trends for populations with low productivity can be somewhat mitigated by adults living longer.
Seabirds in front of a glacier in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

New insights into the effects of glacier fronts on seabird habitat use

Surprising results from PhD work in Kongsfjorden on Svalbard.
The harbour at Kårøya in 2020. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

White-tailed eagles increase the pressure on Norwegian seabird populations

Four decades of monitoring show that increased predation by birds of prey might tip the scales for seabirds that are already struggling.
Top predators reign high. Photo © SEAPOP

How much does mercury contamination affect body condition in birds?

A large meta-analysis reveals that a significant gap in knowledge remains regarding the impact of mercury on wild bird populations.
Atlantic puffin. Photo © Erlend Lorentzen

Increase in extreme weather may be ominous for puffins

Are survival rates of different populations in the North-Atlantic synchronized by winter cyclones?
Ivory gulls on snow. Photo © Vegard Bang Fjeldheim

Genetic studies examine ivory gull’s global population trend

Genetic signals might be delayed due to overlapping generations.
Northern lesser black-backed gull. Photo © Jan Ove Bustnes

Detailed studies of lesser black-backed gull nest predation

Who is the main predator and what are the effects?
Brünnich's guillemots against the wind. Photo © Hallvard Strøm

Are storms killing seabirds?

A study enlightens possible mechanisms behind winter wrecks.
Bird catching. Photo © Ola Nordsteien/SEAPOP

Report from the seabird monitoring in Norway in 2021

The concern for Norwegian seabird populations continues to grow in SEAPOP’s summary of the seabird monitoring in 2021.
Little Auk. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

Survival rates differ among little auks Alle alle from different colonies despite shared wintering grounds

A new study examined the relationship between annual survival rates and wintering grounds in little auks.
Antarctic petrels. Photo © Sébastien Descamps

Failed breeding increases the probability of divorce in polar seabirds

Four out of five studied species held together through thick and thin, whereas one species stood out.
Adult European shag. Photo © Nina Dehnhard

How to predict the foraging habitat of European shags

This study presents a new approach to a better management of sea areas that are of crucial importance to one of our most characteristic seabirds.
Offshore wind farm. Photo © Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard.

Large research project focuses on the effects of blue growth on seabirds

SEAPOP and SEATRACK contribute with data.
Black-legged kittiwakes on ice floe. Photo © Hurtigruten Expeditions

Loss of sea ice affects Arctic seabirds

The connection lies in the food chain.
Atlantic puffin with sandeel. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen.

Changes in ocean temperatures contribute to a puffin population decline

A 131 year long time series from the world’s largest puffin colony has provided unique insights.
Stranded common guillemots. Photo © KJELL ISAKSEN

Auk wreck last autumn struck mainly young common guillemots

In 2021, dead common guillemots on the beaches of several European countries again attracted attention. International collaboration now yields clear indications as to what the birds died from.
European shag with a capelin. Photo © John Anderson

Chase the sun or catch prey in twilight?

How do seabirds find enough food to survive the darkness of winter? This is the question Børge Moe and his colleagues asked themselves in a study on European shags in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Little auk with GLS. Photo © Jérôme Fort

Mercury contamination in individual seabirds varies with wintering area

A large study combined tracking of seabird migration with measurement of environmental toxins.
Illustration: Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Christmas greetings from SEAPOP
Brünnich's guillemot colony on Spitsbergen. Photo © Malin Kjelstadli Johansen

Variation in Brünnich’s guillemot population trends explained in recent study

Demography data from SEAPOP key sites contribute to a wider understanding of the variation in “vital rates”.
Konseptskisse om sjøfuglers habitatbruk i hekketiden. Illustrasjon © Tycho Anker-Nilssen.

SEAPOP’s work on GPS tracking is presented on new web page

We present an overview of where and for which species we are collecting GPS data.
Fieldwork at Bjørnøya, Svalbard. Photo © Malin Kjellstadli Johansen

Successful SEATRACK webinar

The recorded talks from the SEATRACK webinar are now available online.
Common guillemots on Hornøya. Photo © Tone Kristin Reiertsen

The common guillemot can keep track of day and night even under the midnight sun

Hormones help the common guillemot keep time during the continuous light of polar day in summer.
Black-legged kittiwake with GLS. Photo © Morten Ekker

Theme Section devoted to SEATRACK recently published in Marine Ecology Progress Series

- A huge amount of work over years, with concepts and information that has come out that would have been unthinkable just a short time ago, says inventor of the geolocator.
Common guillemots at sea. Photo © Geir Helge Systad, NINA

Important seabird protection area established in the North Atlantic

SEAPOP and SEATRACK have contributed significantly.
Gannet and guillemot colony. Photo © Vidar Bakken/Hallvard Strøm

Global warming alters the seabird community on Svalbard

Seabirds adapted to a warmer climate replace the Arctic species, according to a new article in Ecology.
Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica). Photo © Erlend Lorentzen

Whole-genome analyses disclose Atlantic puffin population structure

Results challenge current taxonomy.
Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis). Photo © Nina Dehnhard

Great cormorants and humans compete for wrasse, but not gadids

Analyses of great cormorant diets reveal how much and which fish species and size Norwegian cormorants consume.
Adult ivory gull with leg bands. Photo © Vegard Bang Fjeldheim

More ivory gulls in Svalbard than previously estimated, but population trends are negative

Recent surveys show that the population of ivory gulls in Svalbard is larger than previously assumed, but long-time monitoring of selected colonies reveals a negative population trend.
Measuring head size in Atlantic puffins at Anda. Photo © Magdalene Langset

2020 – the worst breeding season ever for Norwegian seabirds

SEAPOP’s summary of the seabird monitoring in 2020 is a cause of growing concern for Norwegian seabird populations.
Adult razorbill. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Seabirds ring the alarm

The ongoing decrease in seabird breeding success signals the need for management actions to protect the marine ecosystems and reduce the effect of climate change.
Puffin with herring larvae. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

Seabirds consume higher proportions of fish stocks when prey abundance is low

This study signals the need for fisheries management to account for ecosystem constraints when setting catch limits in periods of low forage fish biomass.
Puffin with haddock. Photo © Tycho Anker-Nilssen

GPS-tracking of chick-rearing puffins reveals causes of population decline

Reduced availability of key prey forces adult puffins to fly further from their colonies to find food. Meanwhile, their chicks starve at the nests.

The SEAPOP web site is being moved

Apologies for unexpected time offline while moving to a new server.

Little auk studies improve our insight into the pathways and spreading of methylmercury

Tracking little auks outside the breeding season provides new knowledge about sources and pathways of mercury in nature.

Feathers reveal mercury contamination in alcids in the Arctic

More than a quarter of the individual auks in which mercury levels were measured outside the breeding season exceeded the toxicity threshold.