4 breeding seasons after a lethal chicken flu outbreak pressured a colony of Sandwich Terns to go away their nesting floor, the seabirds have returned in report numbers, creating one in every of England’s largest breeding websites. Monitoring experiences revealed by Uncommon Fowl Alert verify that Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) nested at RSPB Pagham Harbour in West Sussex in unprecedented numbers in the course of the 2026 breeding season. The restoration comes 4 years after the extremely infectious H5N1 pressure of avian influenza badly affected seabird colonies throughout the UK. The outbreak killed massive numbers of adults and chicks and compelled surviving birds to go away long-established nesting areas. The return to Pagham Harbour is among the most notable conservation recoveries alongside England’s southern coast and an vital signal of resilience for coastal wildlife.
The harm attributable to the 2022 outbreak
UK seabird populations suffered main losses in 2022 when an unusually extreme pressure of avian flu unfold by way of coastal nature reserves. Sandwich Terns had been particularly susceptible as a result of they breed in massive, carefully packed colonies on shingle banks and slim island spits. Throughout the breeding season, birds and their chicks dwell shut collectively, permitting the virus to unfold rapidly. On the peak of the 2022 outbreak, reserve wardens and conservationists recorded massive numbers of lifeless grownup terns and chicks at vital websites throughout the UK. At Pagham Harbour, a nature reserve managed by the Royal Society for the Safety of Birds (RSPB) close to Chichester, the losses had been so critical that the complete colony collapsed. The surviving adults deserted their nests in the course of the season, leaving the nesting spit empty for the remainder of the 12 months. On the time, it was unclear whether or not the birds would ever return in massive sufficient numbers to rebuild the colony.
Defending the habitat
The return in 2026 adopted a number of years of habitat work and predator safety carried out by RSPB employees, seasonal wardens and native volunteers. Conservation groups ready the positioning for a doable return by creating protected and quiet areas for nesting. Shingle islands throughout the harbour had been reshaped and cleared of rising vegetation, giving the birds higher views of approaching predators. Wardens additionally put in electrical fencing and anti-predator grids to guard nests from foxes and badgers. Seasonal patrols and water boundaries helped scale back disturbance from individuals in boats and walkers close to the nesting areas. In response to area experiences documented by Uncommon Fowl Alert, these measures created appropriate circumstances when Sandwich Terns returned to West Sussex after spending the winter alongside the coast of West Africa.
File numbers and breeding success
The 2026 census confirmed that the Sandwich Tern colony at Pagham Harbour had grown nicely past its numbers earlier than the chicken flu outbreak, making the positioning an vital stronghold for the species in Britain. RSPB wardens recorded lots of of lively nests throughout the protected shingle ridges. Giant numbers of wholesome chicks reaching the fledging stage additionally confirmed that the colony had a extremely profitable breeding season. The birds benefited from good provides of sandeels and sprats within the coastal waters off West Sussex, offering an vital meals supply for adults and chicks. The return of the Sandwich Terns has additionally helped different coastal birds. Smaller ground-nesting species, together with Widespread Terns, Little Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, usually construct their nests round bigger tern colonies. These birds profit from the Sandwich Terns’ aggressive group defence, which may also help hold predatory gulls and crows away from nesting areas.
Hope for UK seabirds
The restoration at Pagham Harbour has provided new hope to scientists finding out the long-term results of chicken flu on wild chicken populations. A nationwide evaluation revealed in Fowl Examine by the British Belief for Ornithology (BTO), Pure England and NatureScot discovered that seabirds with lengthy lifespans and low reproductive charges can take a few years to get better after large-scale deaths. The return of a big Sandwich Tern colony inside simply 4 years reveals that focused native conservation work may also help velocity up restoration after a significant wildlife illness outbreak. Conservationists stay alert to future modifications or new strains of avian influenza. However the rising colony at Pagham Harbour gives a powerful instance of how wildlife can get better when pure habitats are protected and punctiliously managed.
