The status of seabirds breeding in the Isles of Scilly 2015 and 2016 (RP2934)

This report presents the results of a comprehensive breeding survey of all the seabirds breeding in Scilly in 2015/16 and was carried out as part of the Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project and Natural England’s SSSI monitoring programme. The main objective was to obtain an accurate estimate of the population sizes and distribution of all the breeding seabirds in Scilly and to compare them with the 2006 Special Protection Area (SPA) count as well as with baseline data for the Isles of Scilly SPA and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). These figures can then be used to assess the condition (population size and variety) of the bird interest features within the SPA and SSSIs and to direct future conservation work in Scilly. In total 8,266 territories of 13 species of seabird were recorded from 55 rocks and islands, achieving complete coverage of all islands (see Map 1).