Wildlife Welfare

Seabird Chick Welfare Colony

Seabird chicks in breeding colonies face welfare challenges from food shortages, sibling competition, predation, and extreme weather that are being exacerbated by climate change.

Key Facts

Sand eel and other forage fish declines have caused catastrophic seabird breeding failures
Kittiwake chick survival has declined sharply as North Sea fish availability decreases
Gannet chicks are abandoned when parents cannot find sufficient food
Skua predation of chicks is a natural but welfare-relevant mortality factor
Climate-driven ocean changes are causing mismatch between chick hatching and food availability

Welfare Considerations

Seabird chick welfare at the colony level is intimately linked to ocean health and food web dynamics. Individual chicks experiencing starvation or abandonment suffer real welfare harms that are direct consequences of anthropogenic climate change and overfishing requiring systemic responses.

What You Can Do

Support sustainable fishing practices that protect forage fish populations
Contribute to seabird monitoring programs in your region
Advocate for robust marine protected areas that support seabird food webs