'Pirate of the seas' great skua in big decline after bird flu - BBC News

Sea-bird counts after avian flu show serious declines in three species, the charity RSPB says.

12 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Great skuas steal other birds' food and can prey on smaller creatures like puffinsBy Georgina RannardScience reporter, BBC NewsA powerful bird known as the pirate of the seas has declined dramatically because of avian flu, the RSPB says.

Great skuas soar around the UK's coasts stealing other birds' food but their numbers in 2023 were down by 76%, the charity says in a report.

Populations of gannets and roseate terns were also seriously reduced after avian flu killed thousands of wild birds in 2021-22.

The numbers of the three species had been rising before the outbreak.

The H5N1 strain of avian flu spread to wild birds in summer 2021, causing thousands of creatures to die.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68276680?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

---