The black guillemot is a striking seabird that nests in rock crevices and harbour walls, with welfare tied to clear, fish-rich coastal waters and availability of suitable nesting cavities.
Black guillemots that fail to find adequate near-shore fish habitat face food insecurity during winter when energy demands are highest. Entanglement in creels and gill nets causes drowning and acute trauma. Climate change is altering prey distribution and abundance in the near-shore environment that black guillemots depend on. Individual birds living year-round at their breeding colonies represent a permanent commitment to the quality of that small coastal patch.