Breeding time for Lihou birds

Tuesday 28 April 2020

Internationally important and at-risk bird species have already been seen nesting around Lihou Island this season.

The island and its surrounding area is classified as internationally important wetland and designated as a Ramsar site, in part due to the significance of its breeding sites.

Various bird species can be found from the familiar Robin to the more elusive Lesser Black-backed gull. Lihou's rocky outcrops and shingle banks provide a good nesting environment for species such as Oystercatchers, gulls and the curiously named European shag. 

Many of these species have been in decline over the past decade due to human disturbance, predation by rats and increased frequency of storms.

However, Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS) has increased rat control measures on Lihou in an effort to increase the likelihood of chicks reaching fledging age.

ACLMS will also be installing temporary ropes to mark the areas used by ground nesting gulls in order to reduce human disturbance.

Pictured: It is hoped the new measures on Lihou Island will increase various bird species' breeding success and help make their populations stable once again.

While current restrictions mean that there are few people accessing Lihou at the moment, the public are reminded of the ways they can protect Lihou's wildlife by remembering:

• Dogs are not allowed on the causeway or Lihou Island
• Breeding sites should be avoided. These sites will be roped off from public access once COVID-19 restrictions allow. There are currently wooden posts in place to indicate a breeding area
• Lihoumel, the island to the west of Lihou, should not be visited from February - August, as it is a particularly important breeding site for European shag
• Caution should be used when walking on shingle banks as these are important breeding sites for ground-nesting species such as Oystercatchers

Pictured top: A flock of Oystercatchers.