Wildlife

Great Skua Welfare: Seabird Colony in Scotland

The great skua breeds mainly in Scotland and Iceland and its welfare is linked to the availability of seabird prey and sand eels in the North Atlantic.

Key Facts

Scotland holds over 60% of the world's great skua breeding population, mainly in Shetland and Orkney
Great skuas are kleptoparasitic, stealing food from other seabirds as well as catching their own prey
Sand eel availability in the North Sea is critical to sustaining breeding colonies
They are powerful and aggressive defenders of their nests and will strike human intruders

Welfare Considerations

Declining sand eel availability due to climate-driven changes and industrial fishing has reduced prey availability for many North Sea seabirds including great skuas. Avian influenza outbreaks have caused significant mortality in Scottish skua colonies in recent years. Ingestion of plastic debris causes welfare suffering and sub-lethal toxic effects from associated chemicals.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for better management of sand eel fisheries in the North Sea
Donate to seabird conservation organisations monitoring Scottish skua colonies
Report suspected avian influenza in seabirds to the appropriate authorities
Reduce plastic use to limit marine plastic pollution affecting seabirds