Quick Answer
No, herring gulls are not currently endangered in the UK. While their numbers have declined in recent decades, they are still a relatively common and widespread species. Herring gulls are classified as of “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, some localized populations in the UK have seen more significant declines, leading to conservation efforts.
Overview
The herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large, noisy seabird that is a familiar sight in coastal areas across much of the UK. It is known for its pale gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots, and yellow bill and legs.
Herring gulls breed in the summer months on coasts and islands around the UK. Their nests are messy platforms of vegetation, feathers, twigs, seaweed, and other debris built on the ground. Females typically lay 2-3 speckled brown eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks after they hatch.
Outside of the breeding season, herring gulls are highly adaptable and occupy a wide range of marine and terrestrial habitats. They feed on fish, worms, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, rodents, bird eggs, and even carrion and refuse from human sources.
Population Status and Trends
Across their global range, herring gull populations are estimated at between 260,000-400,000 breeding pairs. In Europe, there are thought to be 170,000-290,000 breeding pairs, with around 50,000-90,000 of those in the UK.
However, herring gull populations have declined significantly in parts of northern Europe since the 1970s-1980s. The exact causes are complex, but likely involve factors like reduced food availability from overfishing, competition with large gull species, predation, disturbance, and toxic contaminants.
In the UK, the breeding population of herring gulls was estimated at 150,000 pairs in 2000, down from 200,000 pairs in 1987. More localized surveys indicate some populations have declined by 50-80%. Several colonies around the northeast and southwest coasts of England have been abandoned.
Despite these declines, herring gulls remain one of the most numerous and widespread gull species breeding in the UK. The overall population trend is currently thought to be stable.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the herring gull as a species of Least Concern. Its global population exceeds the threshold for a threatened category and it has an extremely large range. However, the declining European populations are noted as a point of concern.
In the UK, the herring gull is green-listed as a species of low conservation concern. However, some regional populations meet higher threat criteria, such as those on the red or amber lists of Birds of Conservation Concern.
As a result, the UK and devolved governments have implemented some localized conservation actions for herring gulls:
– Herring gulls are on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This makes it illegal to intentionally or recklessly disturb nesting birds, eggs or young.
– Some important nesting sites are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) with protections.
– Habitat creation and restoration projects provide nesting areas free from disturbance.
– Public education campaigns discourage feeding gulls and littering.
– Studies monitor contaminant exposure and effects on reproduction.
Major Threats
While herring gulls still have a relatively large and stable population in the UK, they face a variety of threats:
– **Reduced food availability** – Overfishing and changes in fishery practices means less access to discarded fish waste. Declines in tidal mudflats reduce feeding habitat.
– **Competition and predation** – Larger gull species like great black-backed gulls may outcompete herring gulls for nest sites and prey on eggs/chicks. Other predators include American mink.
– **Disturbance** – Tourist activity, walking dogs, vehicles, and boats can disturb nesting colonies.
– **Habitat loss** – Coastal development destroys nesting and feeding areas.
– **Pollution** – Herring gulls are vulnerable to chemicals like PCBs, mercury, and pesticides that can accumulate in the food chain.
Effects of Climate Change
Climate change could have variable effects on herring gulls:
– Rising sea levels may flood and alter coastal nesting habitats.
– Changing ocean currents and temperatures shift the abundance and distribution of marine prey species.
– More frequent extreme weather can flood nests and directly kill chicks.
– Milder winters may improve overwinter survival.
– Altered migration patterns of prey like sandeels could reduce food supplies.
More research is needed to fully understand how climate change will impact herring gull populations in the UK. They are likely to face increased pressure from multiple environmental changes.
Outlook for the Future
Given their declining status in parts of the UK, active conservation management will be important for ensuring healthy herring gull populations into the future.
Key recommendations include:
– Protecting essential breeding and feeding habitats from disturbance and development.
– Monitoring population trends and adjusting conservation status as needed.
– Mitigating impacts from pollution, fishing, and climate change.
– Public education to build support for conservation efforts.
– Supporting additional research into status, threats, and solutions.
With appropriate conservation action, herring gull populations should be able to stabilize and recover over time. Though they may never return to historic levels, maintaining viable breeding populations across their UK range seems feasible if threats can be sufficiently reduced.
Conclusion
In summary, herring gulls remain a relatively common coastal species in the UK, though localized populations have faced concerning declines in recent decades. They currently have protected legal status but are not considered globally threatened. Conservationists are working to address threats from human activity, loss of food sources, predators, climate change, and other factors impacting their breeding success and survival. Targeted habitat protection, population monitoring, and mitigation of threats will allow stable populations of herring gulls to persist as part of the UK’s coastal ecosystems.