By Robyn Stewart, Species on the Edge Terning the Tide Project Manager, RSPB Scotland
Conservation status
Like so many of our seabirds, terns are in trouble. These summer migrants arrive to breed on our coasts and shorelines every year, but terns are struggling with the cumulative effects of overfishing, disturbance of their coastal breeding colonies, climate change impacts and changes to the normal availability of their fish prey (mainly sandeels and small fish).
All of Scotland’s breeding tern populations have declined over the past 60 years. The latest Birds of Conservation Concern added Arctic Tern to the Red List owing to severe declines of 50% in the last 25 years, while the last national Seabirds Count 2015-2021 found less than 230 pairs of Little Tern breeding in Scotland on a small number of island and coastal sites. Common Terns are widely distributed around the UK and overall their population is stable but in Scotland, many small colonies have disappeared resulting in a decline of 24% since 2000.
Through the Species on the Edge project, ‘Terning the Tide’, we are taking action for terns in five of our seven project areas: East Coast; Argyll and the Inner Hebrides; the Outer Hebrides; the Solway Coast; and Orkney.
Aims of Terning the Tide
Working together we aim to:
- Create, new safe breeding sites for terns
- Enhance existing breeding sites using effective habitat management
- Protect tern colonies from disturbance using signage and fencing
Outputs:
- 40 tern colonies protected from disturbance using signage and fencing
- 2 existing colonies enhanced using habitat management
- 2 new tern breeding sites created
- Engage with volunteers and land owners in training events for tern survey and monitoring and habitat management
- Engage 4 schools with events to help protect and raise awareness of terns
Taking action for terns
Loch Spynie Nature Reserve, Moray – Loch Spynie tern raft (East coast)
Nesting on the ground means that tern colonies can be vulnerable to disturbance and predation. Tern rafts provide a safe haven for terns to nest. The Loch Spynie tern raft is only 4×4 but will be able to support over 100 pairs. The raft was installed in March 2024 with a small number of common tern breeding on the raft this year and we expect these numbers to increase in future years.
Islay Airport habitat creation (Argyll and the Inner Hebrides)
In collaboration with HIAL Islay airport, SotE helped airport staff create an area of nesting habitat for Little Tern. As the public is unable to access the airport grounds, this nesting area will be free from disturbance (terns don’t seem to mind the daily flights!) which will help improve breeding success. To help Little Tern find the new nesting area, exact replicas were 3D printed by the University of the Highlands and Islands and placed in the site. These replicas, called decoys, will help attract Little Tern especially when combined with a sound lure.
Brora habitat enhancement (East coast)
An area of nesting habitat for Arctic Tern was enhanced at Brora in collaboration with Brora Golf Course. The area had become overgrown with vegetation but was given a revamp with diggers removing the old substrate and replacing it with new weed control membrane and a mixture of sand and crushed scallop shells. With the help of local school pupils tern shelters were created out of natural materials and Arctic Tern 3D printed decoys painted and placed on site to attract Arctic Tern. Local volunteers helped install signage and survey the area for breeding colonies.
Tern signage (Outer Hebrides)
The beaches and coasts of the Outer Hebrides provide ideal nesting habitat for tern species. These same places also attract tourists which can inadvertently lead to the ground-nesting tern breeding colonies being disturbed. When terns are disturbed they spend less time incubating their eggs or feeding their chicks which can reduce their breeding success. With the help of dedicated volunteers raising awareness and installing signage, Little Terns on Barra raised a record number of chicks in 2023.
People engagement (Orkney)
Local primary schools on Orkney have helped raise awareness of Little Tern and the pressures they face by creating signs highlighting disturbance. Pupils from Burray Primary and Hope Primary also helped with surveys for nesting Little Tern and beach cleans at Little Tern sites.
