Marine

Seabird Chick Starvation and Ocean Warming Welfare

Rising ocean temperatures are shifting the distribution of fish prey, causing catastrophic chick starvation in seabird colonies dependent on predictable prey availability.

Key Facts

Sandwich tern, kittiwake, and puffin chick survival is strongly linked to sandeel availability
Ocean warming has shifted sandeel distributions northward away from some major UK seabird colonies
Chick starvation causes prolonged suffering before death in affected colonies
Climate-driven seabird declines are occurring simultaneously with HPAI outbreaks, compounding pressures

Welfare Considerations

Starvation of seabird chicks causes prolonged suffering over days to weeks before death. The combination of climate-driven prey shifts and disease outbreaks creates simultaneous welfare crises that overwhelm natural population resilience.

What You Can Do

Support climate policy that limits ocean warming to protect marine food webs
Advocate for sandeel fishing restrictions that protect seabird prey availability
Engage with seabird monitoring organisations tracking welfare and population trends