Rare seabirds breed on Rathlin Island for first time in decades

By Nicole McBride, PA

A rare seabird has been seen breeding on Rathlin Island for the first time in decades.

Manx shearwaters are an amber-listed species in the UK and Ireland that are considered at risk of decline.

Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland is a regular breeding ground for the species and the area's largest seabird colony. But none have been seen nesting on the island since the end of the 20th century.

Ric Else, senior research assistant for the LIFE Raft project, said: “This was exactly what I have been hoping to see for years – not just confirmation of Manx shearwaters attempting to nest on Rathlin but evidence that they are managing to breed successfully here.

“All the long nights listening and watching from the clifftops finally paid off. With a small breeding population already present, the prospects are excellent for this species to increase again on Rathlin once the project has finished.

Last month, footage of young birds ready to fledge from their burrows provided confirmation of the species breeding successfully.

A £45 million initiative has been launched to protect vulnerable birds and other species on the island.

The aim is to remove non-native rats and ferrets from the island to benefit birds like the burrow-nesting Manx shearwaters, as well as puffins and black guillemots.

This initiative includes the LIFE Raft (Rathlin Acting for Tomorrow) project, which has received funding from EU LIFE, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Garfield Weston Foundation.