Wildlife

Sooty Tern Welfare: Tropical Island Colony Disturbance

Sooty terns form massive breeding colonies on tropical islands and face welfare threats from human disturbance, egg collection and invasive predators at nesting sites.

Key Facts

Sooty tern colonies can contain hundreds of thousands to millions of breeding pairs on tropical islands
They are among the most aerial of seabirds, spending years at sea without landing
Colonies on Ascension Island, Dry Tortugas and Bird Island in the Seychelles are globally significant
Egg collection has historically been a major mortality factor for this species in many island nations

Welfare Considerations

Human disturbance of sooty tern colonies causes mass nest abandonment and chick trampling. Invasive rats and cats cause mortality of eggs, chicks and sitting adults. In some island nations, egg collection continues at unsustainable levels. Climate-driven sea surface temperature changes affect prey availability during breeding, causing chick starvation in poor years.

What You Can Do

Follow strict exclusion zones around sooty tern nesting colonies during the breeding season
Support island invasive species eradication programmes
Advocate for the cessation of unsustainable egg collection from tern colonies
Support seabird conservation organisations active in the Indian and Atlantic oceans