Seabird 2000
Introduction
Seabird 2000 is the third complete census
of the entire breeding seabird population of Britain and Ireland.
Such censuses are carried out every 15 years, the two previous ones
having been carried out in 1969-70 (
Operation
Seafarer) and 1985-88 (
Seabird Colony Register Census). The
results of Seabird 2000 indicate changes that have taken place in
seabird populations over the past 30 years.
Fieldwork for Seabird 2000 began in 1998 and was completed in
2002 using
standardised survey methodology . Census
techniques are customised for each species and are described fully
in Walsh
et al. 1995:
Seabird
Monitoring Handbook for Britain and Ireland. All
25 species of
seabird that breed regularly in Britain and Ireland were censused.
The count unit for most species is the likely number of breeding
pairs, but the total number of individuals present of cliff-nesting
auks is counted.
A complete census of Northern gannets was not undertaken in
Seabird 2000. A regular stand-alone census of all British and
Irish gannet colonies takes place every 10 years; the next complete
survey will take place in 2004/5.
In contrast to the previous two complete censuses, Seabird
2000 obtained accurate estimates of breeding numbers and
distributions of gulls, terns and cormorants that breed away from
the coast.
Recently developed methods for censusing nocturnal petrels and
shearwaters were deployed for the first time in Seabird 2000.
Previously, no reliable methods existed, and there was little
survey-based information on the breeding numbers in Britain and
Ireland of
EU Birds Directive Annex I species such as the
European Storm-petrel and Leach's Storm-petrel. A major
achievement of Seabird 2000, accurate population estimates now
exist for these species.
Results
The results of Seabird 2000 are presented in
Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland launched on 2
April 2004 at the 8th International Conference of the
Seabird Group
The book is published by T & AD Poyser, an imprint of
A&C Black, ISBN 0-7136-6901-2.
For ordering, enquiries should be made to: MDL, Houndsmill,
Basingstoke RG21 6XS, telephone: 01256 302692, email
Extracts from the book are available
by clicking here and following the links to each
species account. Summaries of population totals of seabirds in the
UK and in Britain and Ireland are available for download below.
Seabird Populations of
Britain and Ireland - Executive Summary (PDF, 33 kb)
Summary
of breeding seabird numbers in Britain and Ireland 1998-2002
(PDF, 228 kb)
Changes in
the numbers of breeding seabirds in Britain and Ireland
1969-2002 (Table PDF, 149 kb)
Changes in
the numbers of breeding seabirds in Britain and Ireland
1969-2002 (Figure PDF, 67 kb)
Changes in the numbers
of breeding seabirds in the UK 1969-2002 (Table PDF, 148
kb)
Changes in the
numbers of breeding seabirds in the UK 1969-2002 (Figure
PDF, 59 kb)
Errata
Unfortunately Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland contains
several minor mistakes, which are listed in an Errata.
Data requests
A customised database has been created to host the data
collected in Seabird 2000. More detailed information other than
that summarized in Seabird Populations of Britain and
Ireland can be supplied to private individuals or
organizations upon submission of a data request form (RTF, 30kb). In most
cases a small fee is charged to cover data retrieval costs. Data
can be supplied in spreadsheet (Excel) form electronically or as
hard copy.
Completed data request forms should be sent to:
Seabird Colony Register
JNCC,
Dunnet House
7 Thistle Place,
Aberdeen
AB10 1UZ
or emailed to:
Alternatively, Seabird 2000 counts of seabirds at individual
colonies can be obtained from the
.
Partners
The following are partners in Seabird 2000. In addition, many
other organisations and individuals have contributed to data
collection: