Seabirds

Fair Isle is home to an internationally important population of breeding seabirds, with over 250,000 birds of  18 different species  nesting on the isle. Each year since 1986, Fair Isle Bird Observatory has been carrying out a detailed annual Seabird Monitoring Programme funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). Fair Isle Seabird Reports for JNCC can be found in the Bird Observatory's Annual Reports, with the latest reports also available on the Fair Isle Bird Observatory website. 

(The following information is courtesy of Fair Isle Bird Observatory Annual Reports. All photographs are Copyright Deryk Shaw/Fair Isle Bird Observatory.)

Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus Breeds in large numbers, seen offshore all year. The breeding population of Gannets on Fair Isle continues to rise with a new record of 1957 pairs in 2007. Breeding success was characteristically high owing to this species having huge foraging ranges and an ability to take larger fish species such as Mackerel and Herring.	European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica, with sandeels Summer visitor, breeds in large numbers. The first birds arrive back on Fair Isle in March and large numbers are usually present until early August before dropping to low single figures following the post-breeding exodus. Puffins appear to have fared better than the other auk species, however, they are also having to turn to other food items as their favoured Sandeels have declined dramatically in number.	Adult Black-legged Kittiiwakes, Rissa tridactyla, on nests
Seabird City Over 250,000 seabirds of 18 different species nest on the island, ten of which nest on Fair Isle in nationally or internationally important numbers, these being: Fulmar, Gannet, Shag, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin. Other species nest in smaller numbers, these being Storm Petrel, Eider, Common Tern, Black Guillemot, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Common Gull.	Common Guillemot colony, Uria aalge Common autumn passage migrant; breeds in large numbers. In 2007, numbers of Guillemots on Fair Isle's Seabird Monitoring plots were the lowest on record (32.5% less than in 2006) and only small numbers of eggs were laid. Whilst Guillemots preferred food is Lesser Sandeels these have been in short supply and other food samples have been recorded, including Snake Pipefish and Gadoids.
Dark Phase Arctic Skua, Stercorarius parasiticus Fair Isle is home to one of the most important Arctic Skua colonies in Britain. In recent years, food shortages have caused poor breeding success.	Acrtic Skua breeding population Arctic Skuas have been in trouble since 1998 with falling numbers and very low breeding success. The years 2003 – 2005 saw a total of just ten birds fledge. Things improved dramatically in 2006 with the highest number of AOT (105) since the early 1990s and good productivity (0.82). In 2007 however, the situation deteriorated once again and from 68 AOT (a 35.2% decrease), not a single chick fledged.
Great Skua, Stercorarius skua, defending its nest. Frequent passage migrant, breeds in moderate numbers. With recent food shortages, Great Skuas (known locally as 'Bonxies') are now predating other seabirds more to feed themselves and their young.	Young Great Skua, Stercorarius skua.
Arctic Terns, Sterna paradisaea. Summer visitor, breeds in large numbers. These Arctic Terns died from starvation, the consequence of recent food shortages during the important breeding season.