Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T17:04:48.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Birds of the Hebrides: seabirds*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

W. R. P. Bourne  and
M. P. Harris
W. R. P. Bourne
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen
M. P. Harris
Affiliation:
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory, Kincardineshire
Get access

Synopsis

Coastal water moving north up the coast of Europe mixes with oceanic water from the Atlantic off the north of Scotland, which leads to a high marine productivity. In summer the mixing tends to be concentrated along fronts which form between the stratified water out at sea and that mixed by coastal currents, and in the sounds between the land masses. Small fish, and the birds which feed on them, frequent these areas, and the birds breed nearby, so that the area is a major nursery for temperate North Atlantic seabirds. Most of the large breeding colonies of pelagic species are not found along the Outer Hebridean island chain, but along the mainland coast and on the outlying islands. There is also a substantial population of birds which feed along the coast scattered throughout the area. When the stratification of the water out at sea breaks down at the end of the summer, many moulting guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes move inshore with their young for a time. Some birds also tend to move north at this time, presumably following some change in the distribution of the available food. As the weather deteriorates in the winter, many of the seabirds disperse. Some auks move into the more sheltered North and Irish Seas, the shearwaters, small petrels, skuas and terns migrate to the southern hemisphere, and the puffins, kittiwakes and young fulmars scatter throughout the temperate North Atlantic. Variable proportions of many species, including cormorants, gulls, auks and the adult fulmars remain in the area, retiring to more sheltered waters during bad weather. There may have been some long-term changes in populations; thus the southern Manx shearwater declined and the northern puffin increased in the last century, and the process was reversed in this one, possibly as a result of changes in climate. Some species, notably the gulls and fulmar, are now increasing following their exploitation of human wastes for food, and all species are benefiting from the cessation of human exploitation and its replacement by protection over the last century.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 77: The Natural Environment of the Outer Hebrides , 1979 , pp. 445 - 475
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

One of a series of four Symposium papers on the avifauna of the Hebrides.

References

Adam, J. C., 1908. Bird life of an outer island. Trans. Edinb. Fld Nat. Microsc. Soc., 6, 1–18.Google Scholar
Agnew, J. H., 1973–1978. (Observations of seabirds at ocean weather ships). Sea Swallow, 22, 20–26; 23, 29–33; 24, 27–29; 25, 15–17; 26, 14–15; 27, 16–17.Google Scholar
Ainslie, J. A., and Atkinson, R., 1937. On the breeding habits of Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel. Br. Birds, 30, 234–248.Google Scholar
Alexander, H. G. et al. , 1958. British Records Committee Second Report. Ibis, 100, 299.Google Scholar
Allison, F. R., 1952. Daily activities of the Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Atlantic in July. Scott. Nat., 64, 38–44.Google Scholar
Allison, F. R., Darlington, A., Barras, Smith M. A., and Romer, M. L. R., 1952. Bird observations on ocean weather ships in 1950. Mar. Obsr, 22, 27–32.Google Scholar
Anderson, A., Bagenal, T. B., Baird, D. E., and Eggeling, W. J., 1961. A description of the Flannan Islands and their birds. Bird Study, 8, 71–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrew, D. G., 1965. Manx Shearwaters breeding in Lewis. Scott. Birds, 3, 435–436.Google Scholar
Anon., 1935. Magnificent Frigate-bird in Tiree, Inner Hebrides—a new British bird. Br. Birds, 47, 58–59.Google Scholar
Atkinson, R., 1938. Natural history notes from certain Scottish islands—North Rona, the Flannan Islands, Handa Island. Scott. Nat., 1938, 145–147.Google Scholar
Atkinson, R., 1948. Leach's Petrel. New Nat., 1948, 110–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Atkinson, R., and Ainslie, J. A., 1940. The British breeding-stations of Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel. Br. Birds, 34, 50–55.Google Scholar
Atkinson, R., and Roberts, B., 1955. Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) in the Flannan Islands and Loch Roag. Scott. Nat., 67, 109–110.Google Scholar
Bahr, P. H., 1907–1908. Some bird notes from the Outer Hebrides during a month spent there May-June 1907. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1907, 208–215; 1908, 22–30.Google Scholar
Baxter, E. V., and Rintoul, L. J., 1953. The Birds of Scotland. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.Google Scholar
Bedford, Duchess Of, 1914. Spring bird notes from various Scottish islands. Scott. Nat., 1914, 173–181.Google Scholar
Beveridge, F. S., 1919. The birds of North Uist. Scott. Nat., 1919, 17–24.Google Scholar
Blackburn, A. C., and Budworth, D., 1976. An ornithological survey of Sule Skerry, 1975. Seabird Rep., 5, 27–33.Google Scholar
Boddington, D., 1960. Unusual mortality of young Puffins, St Kilda, 1959. Scott. Birds, 1, 218–219.Google Scholar
Booth, C. G., 1975. Birds in Islay. Port Charlotte, Argyll.Google Scholar
Boswall, J., 1960. Observations on the use by sea-birds of human fishing activities. Br. Birds, 53, 212–215.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1957. The birds of the island of Rhum. Scott. Nat., 69, 21–31.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1972. The seabirds of the Firth of Clyde in September 1970. Seabird Rep., 2, 27–32.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1976a. Birds of the North Atlantic Ocean. Proc. XVI Int. Orn. Congr., 705–715.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1976b. Seabirds and pollution. In: Johnson, R., Ed., Marine Pollution, pp. 903–502. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1978a. The seabirds of the eastern North Atlantic. Ibis, 120, 117–119.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., 1978b. List of References to the Birds of the West Coast of Scotland and the Hebrides. Manuscript deposited with the Nature Conservancy Council, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., and Dixon, T. J., 1974. The seabirds of the Shetlands. In: The Natural Environment of Shetland, Goodier, R., Ed., pp. 130–144. Nature Conservancy Council. (Reprinted Seabird Rep., 4, 1–18.)Google Scholar
Bourne, W. R. P., and Smith, A. J. M., 1978. Seabirds in north-east Scotland. North-east Scotland Bird Rep., 1977, 36–42.Google Scholar
Boyd, J. M., and Wormell, P., 1958. Spring observations on the Manx Shearwater and small petrels on St Kilda and Rhum. Scott. Birds, 1, 46–48.Google Scholar
Brooke, M. De L., 1972a. The Puffin population of the Shiant Islands. Bird Study, 19, 1–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brooke, M. De L., 1972b. Population estimates for Puffins on Soay and Boreray and assessment of the rate of predation by gulls. Brathey Exploration Group Rep. 1971, 4–13.Google Scholar
Brooke, M. De L., 1973. Birds of the Shiant Islands, Outer Hebrides. Bird Study, 20, 197–206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruce, D., 1905. List of birds observed on eight several visits to Loch Roag, Outer Hebrides, in the month of June and July from 1886 to 1902. Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 7, 1–9.Google Scholar
Butler, J., 1972. Birds at Rockall. Scott. Birds, 7, 201–202.Google Scholar
Campbell, J. W., 1959a. Unpublished manuscript. (N.C.C. Scotland.)Google Scholar
Campbell, J. W., 1959b. Great Skua nesting in the Outer Hebrides. Scott. Birds, 1, 156–157.Google Scholar
Charteris, G., 1931. Sandwich Terns breeding in South Uist. Brit. Birds, 25, 82.Google Scholar
Clarke, W. E., 1897. On the occurrence of the Frigate Petrel (Pelagodroma marina) on the west coast of Scotland. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1897, 88.Google Scholar
Clyne, R., 1915. Notes on birds observed at the Butt of Lewis. Scott. Nat., 1915, 29–37, 77–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clyne, R., 1916. Movements of the Gannet as observed at the Butt of Lewis. Scott. Nat., 1916, 55–59.Google Scholar
Craig, R. E., 1959. Hydrography of Scottish coastal waters. Mar. Res. Scot., 1959/2, p. 30.Google Scholar
Cramp, S., Bourne, W. R. P., and Saunders, D., 1975. The Seabirds of Britain and Ireland. London: Collins.Google Scholar
Critchley, G., 1972. A large movement of skuas in the Outer Hebrides. Scott. Birds, 7, 205–206.Google Scholar
Darling, F. F., 1938. Bird Flocks and the Breeding Cycle. Cambridge.Google Scholar
Darling, F. F., 1940. Island Years. London.Google Scholar
Davenport, D. L., 1979. Spring passage of skuas at Balranald, North Uist. Scott. Birds, 7, 216–221.Google Scholar
Dennis, R. H., and Waters, E., 1968. October migrants at North Rona. Scott. Birds, 5, 155–170.Google Scholar
Diamond, A. W., Douthwaite, R. J., and Indge, W. J. E., 1965. Notes on the birds of Berneray, Mingulay and Pabbay. Scott. Birds, 3, 397–404.Google Scholar
Dickinson, H., and Harris, M. P., 1960. Handa birds, July 1959. Fair Isle Bird Obs. Bull., 4, 119–123.Google Scholar
Dixon, , 1973. The St Kilda Gannets and Operation Seafarer. Seabird Rep., 3, 5–12.Google Scholar
Dobbie, J. B., 1898. The summer birds of the Summer Isles. Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb., 14, 46–57.Google Scholar
Downhill, I. R., 1963a. Autumn movements of shearwaters, skuas and other sea-birds in north Sutherland. Scott. Birds, 2, 304–306.Google Scholar
Downhill, I. R., 1963b. Notes on Island Roand, Sutherland. Scott. Birds, 2, 351–357.Google Scholar
Downhill, I. R., 1965. Further notes from Island Roan, Sutherland. Scott. Birds, 3, 404–405.Google Scholar
Ellett, D. J., 1979. Some oceanographic features of Hebridean waters. Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 77B, 61–74.Google Scholar
Elwes, H. J., 1869. The bird stations of the Outer Hebrides. Ibis, 2 (5), 20–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, H., 1892. On the occurrence of Wilson's Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus Kuhl) in Jura Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1892, 18.Google Scholar
Evans, P. G. H., 1973. Report on B.O.U. supported expedition to North Rona and Sula Sgeir 1972. Ibis, 115, 476–478.Google Scholar
Evans, P. G. H., 1975. Gulls and Puffins on North Rona. Bird Study, 22, 239–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, P. R., and Flowers, W. U., 1967. The birds of the Small Isles. Scott. Birds, 4, 404–445.Google Scholar
Evans, W., 1892. Unusual numbers of Fork-tailed Petrels on the Scottish coast. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist. 1, 74–76.Google Scholar
Fearnhead, P. G., 1975. On the formation of fronts by tidal mixing around the British Isles. Deep Sea Res., 22, 311–321.Google Scholar
Fisher, J., 1956. Rockall. London: Geoffrey Bles.Google Scholar
Fisher, J., 1966. The Fulmar population of Britain and Ireland, 1959. Bird Study, 13, 5–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitter, R. S. R., 1939. Petrels and other birds in the Minch. Br. Birds, 32, 399–400.Google Scholar
Flegg, J. J. M., 1972. The Puffin on St Kilda. Bird Study, 19, 7–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freeman, R. B., 1940. On the birds of the islands of Oigh Sgeir and Causamul, North Uist. Br. Birds, 33, 330–332.Google Scholar
Gordon, S., 1945a. The Ascrib Isles and their birds. Field, 186, 342.Google Scholar
Gordon, S., 1945b. Sea-fowl of the Shiant Isles. Field, 185, 139.Google Scholar
Grant, W., 1977. (Birds on Rockall). Press and Journal, 24 June.Google Scholar
Gray, R., 1871. The Birds of the West of Scotland Including the Outer Hebrides. Glasgow.Google Scholar
Grieve, S., 1885. The Great Auk or Garefowl (Alca impennis Linn.), its History, Archaeology and Remains. London and Edinburgh: Jack.Google Scholar
Harris, M. P., 1976. The present status of the Puffin in Britain and Ireland. Br. Birds, 69, 239–264.Google Scholar
Harris, M. P., and Hislop, J. R. G., 1978. The food of young Puffins Fratercula arctica. J. Zool., 185; 213–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, M. P., and Murray, S., 1977. Puffins on St Kilda. Br. Birds, 70, 50–65.Google Scholar
Harris, M. P., and Murray, S. (in press). The birds of St Kilda. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology Pub.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., 1879. The Shiant Isles and their bird life. Trans. Norfolk Norwich Nat. Soc., 3, 47–60.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., 1880–1888 Reports on the migration of birds for the west coast of Scotland. Zoologist, 31, 161–204 and then in separate animal reports, London.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., 1883. The islands and rocks of Haskier off North Uist and their bird life. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 5, 181–191.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., 1902–1903. The avifauna of the Outer Hebrides. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1902, 83–92, 136–151, 199–217; 1903, 7–22.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., and Barrington, R. M., 1897. On the ornithology of Rockall. Trans. Roy. Ir. Acad., 31, 66–75.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., and Buckley, T. E., 1887. A Vertebrate Fauna of Sutherland, Caithness and West Cromarty. Edinburgh.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., and Buckley, T. E., 1888. A Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides. Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., and Buckley, T. E. 1892. A Vertebrate Fauna of Argyll and the Inner Hebrides. Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Harvie-Brown, J. A., and Macpherson, H. A., 1904. A Vertebrate Fauna of the North-west Highlands and Skye. Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Hay, A. T., 1892. A visit to Rockall. Chambers J. 9, 161–163. (Author identified by publisher in The Times, 5 March 1977.)Google Scholar
Hepburn, I. R., and Randall, R. E., 1975. Nest site distribution of the Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) within the Monach Isles National Nature Reserve, Outer Hebrides, U.K. J. Biogeography, 2, 223–228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hepburn, I. R., Schofield, P., and Scholfield, R. A., 1977. The birds of the Monach Isles, Outer Hebrides. Bird Study, 24, 25–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jardine, W., 1824. Notice regarding the island of Grimsey off the north coast of Iceland and the isles of St Kilda on the north-west coast of Scotland. Edinb. Phil. J., 11, 132–140.Google Scholar
Lea, D., and Bourne, W. R. P., 1975. The birds of Orkney. In: The Natural Environment of Orkney, Goodier, R., Ed. pp. 98–121. Edinburgh: Nature Conservancy Council. (Reprinted Brit. Birds, 68, 261–283.)Google Scholar
Lockley, R. M., and Marchant, S., 1951. A midsummer visit to Rockall. Br. Birds, 44, 373–383.Google Scholar
LoderJ., De V. J., De V., 1935. Birds. In: Colonsay and Oronsay in the Isles of Argyll, pp. 390–404. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.Google Scholar
Love, J. A., 1974. Status of the Kittiwake and Great Black-backed Gull on North Rona. Seabird Rep., 4, 29–35.Google Scholar
Macfarlane, D., and Macrae, A., 1937. Great and Sooty Shearwaters off the Hebrides. Br. Birds, 30, 324.Google Scholar
Macgillivray, W., 1842. Notes on the zoology of the Outer Hebrides. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 8, 7–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macgillivray, W., 1850. A History of British Birds, vol. 5. London.Google Scholar
MacLachlan, G., and Harvie-Brown, J. A., 1881. Barra Head and its bird life. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 4, 280–291.Google Scholar
McNeill, M., 1910. Colonsay, One of the Hebrides. Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Macrury, J., 1894. The birds of the island of Barra. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1894, 140–145, 203–211.Google Scholar
Marr, B. A. E., Reaney, J., Truckle, W. H., and Wiseman, E. J., 1959. Spring migration (1959) at the Butt of Lewis. Bird Migration, 1, 75–81.Google Scholar
Marr, B. A. E., Rees, G. H., and Wiseman, E. J., 1958. Migration in northern Lewis in April 1957. Fair Isle Bird Obs. Bull., 4, (1), 30–35.Google Scholar
Marshall, R. V. A., 1968. Cory's Shearwater in the outer Hebrides. Scott. Birds, 5, 209.Google Scholar
Mead, C., 1974. The results of ringing auks in Britain and Ireland. Bird Study, 21, 45–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mullens, W. H., Kirke, Swann H., and Jourdain, F. C. R., 1920. A Geographical Bibliography of British Ornithology. London: Witherby.Google Scholar
Newton, A., 1900. The Great Shearwater in Scottish waters. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 34, 142–147.Google Scholar
Parslow, J. L. F., and Bourne, W. R. P., 1972. Great Black-backed Gulls and other birds on Am Balg, west Sutherland. Seabird Rep., 3, 15–24.Google Scholar
Pennie, I. D., 1951. The Clo Mor bird cliffs. Scott. Nat., 63, 26–32.Google Scholar
Pingree, R. D., Holligan, P. M., and Head, R. N., 1977. Survival of dinoflagellate blooms in the western English Channel. Nature, Lond., 265, 266–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollock, K., 1963. Great Skua breeding on St Kilda. Scott. Birds, 2, 427.Google Scholar
Roberts, B., and Atkinson, R., 1955. The Haskeir Rocks, North Uist. Scott. Nat., 67, 9–18.Google Scholar
Robinson, H. W., 1929. The Fulmar Petrel on Sule Skerry. Scott. Nat., 1929, 93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, H. W., 1933a. The Fulmar Petrel on Sule Skerry. Scott. Nat., 1933, 108.Google Scholar
Robinson, H. W., 1933b. Arrival of Puffins on Sule Skerry, Orkney. Scott. Nat., 1933, 112.Google Scholar
Robinson, H. W., 1934. First nesting of Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel in Orkney. Scott. Nat., 1934, 93.Google Scholar
Robson, M. J. H., 1968. The breeding birds of North Rona. Scott. Birds, 5, 126–155.Google Scholar
Robson, M. J. H., and Wills, P., 1963. Notes on the birds of Bearasay, Lewis. Scott. Birds, 2, 410–414.Google Scholar
Ross, A., 1913. Birds of Islay. Glasg. Nat., 6, 7–32.Google Scholar
Ross, A., 1915. Some additional notes on the birds of Islay. Glasg. Nat., 7, 97–101.Google Scholar
Scott, D., 1954. Notes on the birds of the Shiant Islands. Glasg. W. Scot. Bird Bull., 3, 36–38.Google Scholar
Sergeant, D. E., 1952. Little auks in Britain 1948 to 1952. Br. Birds., 45, 122–133.Google Scholar
Sergeant, D. E., and Whidborne, D. F., 1951. Birds on Mingulay in the summer of 1949. Scott. Nat., 63, 18–25.Google Scholar
Sharrock, J. T. R., 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. Tring: British Trust for Ornithology.Google Scholar
Skirving, R. S., 1878–1880. The Natural History of Islay. Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb., 4, 69–73; 5, 35–43.Google Scholar
Smith, R. W. J., 1969. Scottish Cormorant colonies. Scott. Birds, 5, 363–378.Google Scholar
Smith, R. W. J., and Walker, C., 1955. Migration at Northern Lewis in spring 1954. Fair Isle Bird Obs. Bull., 2, (6), 238–246.Google Scholar
Stark, D. M., 1967. A visit to Stack Skerry and Sule Skerry. Scott. Birds, 4, 548–553.Google Scholar
St Clair, W. L., Usher, H. G., and Gardner-Medwin, D., 1956. Birds of the Butt of Lewis in April 1955. Fair Isle Bird Obs. Bull., 3, 29–37.Google Scholar
Stewart, M., 1938. Natural history notes on certain Scottish islands. Scott. Nat., 1938, 107–114.Google Scholar
Swann, R. L., and Ramsay, A. D. K., 1971–1977. Reports on expeditions to Canna and Rhum.Google Scholar
Swinburne, J., 1888. An ornithological visit to the Ascrib Isles, Loch Snizort, Skye. Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb., 9, 402–407.Google Scholar
Teignmouth, Lord., 1836. Sketches of the Coasts and Islands of Scotland and of the Isle of Man. London.Google Scholar
Tomison, J., 1904. Sule Skerry, Orkney and its bird life. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1904, 16–26, 91–98.Google Scholar
Tuck, G. S., 1966–1971. (Sea-birds at British weather ships). Sea Swallow, 18, 47–54; 19, 11–14; 20, 7–17; 21, 8–11.Google Scholar
Walker, T. E., 1870–1871. Bird haunts in the Outer Hebrides. Zoologist, 28, 2073–2077, 2113–2119, 2163–2171; 29, 2423–2429.Google Scholar
Waters, W. E., 1963. Observations on the Fulmar at St Kilda. Scott. Birds, 2, 459–468.Google Scholar
Waters, W. E., 1964a. Arrival times and measurements of small petrels at St Kilda. Br. Birds, 57, 309–315.Google Scholar
Wates, W. E., 1964b. Observations on small petrels at St Kilda 1961–62. Scott. Birds, 3, 73–81.Google Scholar
Williamson, K., and Boswall, J., 1960. A landing on Sule Stack. Scott. Birds, 1, 266–268.Google Scholar
Williamson, K., and Boyd, J. M., 1960. St Kilda Summer. London: Hutchinson.Google Scholar
Wilson, R. A., 1971. The Rockall Bank in spring. Sea Swallow, 21, 21–25.Google Scholar
Workman, W. H., 1901. A breeding station of the Puffin (Fratercula arctica). Zoologist, 1901; 429–430.Google Scholar
Workman, W. H., 1902. Ornithological notes from the west coast of Scotland. Zoologist, 1902, 423–427.Google Scholar
Wormell, P., 1976. The Manx Shearwaters of Rhum. Scott. Birds, 9, 103–118.Google Scholar