Marine Wildlife

Wild Tern Colony Disturbance Prevention

Tern colonies are particularly vulnerable to disturbance as they are colonial ground nesters. Protecting colonies from human and predator disturbance is critical.

Key Facts

All UK tern species are Schedule 1 protected, making disturbance at the nest illegal
Ground nesting makes eggs and chicks extremely vulnerable to human and dog disturbance
A single disturbance event can cause nest abandonment across an entire colony
Drone overflights near tern colonies cause panic responses and chick scattering
Managed reserves with physical barriers and wardening are most effective at protection

Welfare Considerations

Tern colony disturbance causes mass nest abandonment, exposing eggs and chicks to chilling and predation. Chicks scattered by disturbance are lost by parents and die of exposure. The suffering of individual birds and the population-level effects of reduced breeding success make disturbance prevention a priority.

What You Can Do

Keep dogs on leads near tern colonies from April to August
Observe terns from designated viewpoints only - do not approach colonies
Never fly drones near known tern nesting sites