29/11/2017
Project Puffin, a new RSPB
initiative, has taken the first steps in explaining why some British Puffin colonies
in are in dramatic decline. Scientists analysed more than 1,400 photos sent in
by the public, helping them to build a better picture of what these seabirds
are feeding their chicks
Britain’s coastlines come alive
each spring with the sight, sound and smell of Puffins nesting and raising
their young, known as ‘pufflings’. With their bright orange bills and
distinctive eye markings, Puffins are hugely popular with birders and the
general public alike, and hot-spots in Britain and Ireland attract visitors
from all over the world to photograph these bustling colonies. However, in
recent years the species’ numbers have plummeted in some areas, and experts
estimate that without help more than half the global Puffin population will
disappear within the next 40 years.
This summer RSPB scientists set out to understand more about the differing fortunes of Puffins around our coasts. They launched Project Puffin, which aimed to provide a snapshot of what the birds are feeding their young at as many colonies as possible, as it is thought that the food supply has been negatively impacted by warming seas and shifting ocean currents. By enlisting the help of the public, 1,402 photos of Puffins bringing food to their chicks were sent to the team.
From May to August, 602 people
supplied 1,402 photos of Puffins taking food to their chicks. Pictures came
from almost 40 colonies around Britain, including those on the Farne Islands,
Skomer and the Isle of May. The project is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund
Scotland thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. To see more photos
and to learn about the RSPB’s Project Puffin, visit www.rspb.org.uk/projectpuffin.
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