Tern for the worse? Seabirds facing challenge to breed

NUMBERS of Arctic terns nesting at a key breeding site have dropped by nearly a third this year, as experts warn climate change and disease are hitting the rare birds.

- reports Emily Beament

Some of the UK's rarest seabirds, including Arctic terns and little terns, nest at Long Nanny, near Beadnell in Northumberland, which is cared for by the National Trust.

But reports from the charity suggest the number of occupied Arctic tern nests at the breeding site has fallen from 1,037 in 2024 to 724 this year, a drop of 30%.

Arctic terns breed in mainly northern areas of Britain, but can be seen off the coast of the Westcountry.

The findings come just a month after a high spring tide washed away the nests of Arctic and little nests at Long Nanny, despite efforts by rangers to protect them from weather extremes.

National Trust conservationists warn that the seabirds are facing mounting pressure from rising seas and stronger storms due to climate change, as well as bird flu, which has devastated seabird colonies around the UK's coasts.