Seabirds are among the most globally threatened groups of birds, with numbers in decline because of climate change, pollution, invasive species/predation, human disturbance and more.

Rats are some of the worst offenders when it comes to predation. As most seabirds are ground nesting and many have not evolved strategies to avoid or cope with predation (breeding on remote coastal locations where predators are uncommon), rats can easily decimate whole colonies by eating eggs and chicks.

The best way to help seabirds avoid predation by rats is to stop them getting to colonies in the first place! By strictly controlling the movement of invasive species and checking boats for unwanted passengers, seabirds are well protected against this threat. However, in many colonies it is too late for that, so some form of control must take place on the rodent populations already present. This is the method that has been trialled in Alderney, eradicating rats using poison bait in areas around the coast where seabirds breed, or once bred (luckily Burhou is rat free).

This year the Alderney Wildlife Trust and States Works Department have deployed bait on some of the stacks around the coast where seabirds (mainly razorbills and guillemots) are known to breed, to remove rats which can access the stacks at low tide. This project will NOT include any control of rabbit populations on the island as they pose no threat to the island’s seabirds. It is hoped that eventually this work may lead to puffins re-establishing on mainland Alderney.