The Provision of a breeding seabird surveys at a selection of SPAs in Donegal, 2024 (1202_BSSD24)

Description

The area known as Horn Head accounts for the vast majority of the listed breeding seabirds of Horn Head to Fanad Head SPA, which are: Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis; Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo; Shag, Gulosus aristotelis; Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla; Guillemot, Uria aalge; and Razorbill, Alca torda. Horn Head is in close proximity to Tory Island SPA (seabird SCIs of Fulmar, Razorbill and Puffin, Fratercula arctica) and Inishbofin, Inishdooey and Inishbeg SPA (seabird SCIs of Common Gull, Larus canus; Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus; and Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea). Effective conservation management of Ireland’s SPA Network is informed by contemporary population estimates of the relevant species at various geographic scales i.e. from the site to the national level. Horn Head is one of the most important seabird colonies both in the northwest and nationally. A resurvey of this colony along with the seabirds of Tory Island SPA and Inishbofin, Inishdooey and Inishbeg SPA is now due. NPWS are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced team to undertake field work in early June in order to provide contemporary population estimates of the aforementioned areas’ breeding seabird populations. The area known as Horn Head accounts for the vast majority of the listed breeding seabirds of Horn Head to Fanad Head SPA, which are: Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis; Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo; Shag, Gulosus aristotelis; Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla; Guillemot, Uria aalge; and Razorbill, Alca torda. Horn Head is in close proximity to Tory Island SPA (seabird SCIs of Fulmar, Razorbill and Puffin, Fratercula arctica) and Inishbofin, Inishdooey and Inishbeg SPA (seabird SCIs of Common Gull, Larus canus; Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus; and Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea). Effective conservation management of Ireland’s SPA Network is informed by contemporary population estimates of the relevant species at various geographic scales i.e. from the site to the national level. Horn Head is one of the most important seabird colonies both in the northwest and nationally. A resurvey of this colony along with the seabirds of Tory Island SPA and Inishbofin, Inishdooey and Inishbeg SPA is now due. NPWS are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced team to undertake field work in early June in order to provide contemporary population estimates of the aforementioned areas’ breeding seabird populations.