Removing alien predators from islands often leads to dramatic effects for seabirds with increases in numbers, improved breeding success, returns after going locally extinct, or arriving for the first time.  This is noticeable for the smaller burrowing petrels and shearwaters that are at particular risk to ground predators, as regularly reported for islands around the world in ACAP Latest News.

Two examples follow for seabird islands in the United Kingdom where Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus are on the road to recovery following campaigns against predators - Ferrets Mustela furo and Norway or Brown Rats Rattus norvegicus on Rathlin Island off the north coast on Northern Island, and Norway Rats on St Agnes and Gugh in the Isles of Scilly,

Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland

“Manx Shearwaters have been recorded breeding on Rathlin Island for the first time in decades.  This month, [Richard Else] from LIFE Raft spotted the young seabirds at their burrows.  Once abundant on the island, Manx Shearwaters numbers plummeted as this amber-listed [medium conservation concern] species [is] vulnerable to various pressures, and by the late 20th century they *had almost disappeared.  Using night-vision technology, the LIFE Raft team captured footage of young birds ready to fledge from their burrows, providing the confirmation of Manx Shearwaters successfully nesting and raising chicks on the island.  This sighting is a hopeful sign for these vulnerable birds and with our ongoing work on Rathlin Island, we hope to see the island continue to be a seabird stronghold for future generations.” Information from the RSPB and the Facebook Page of RSPB Northern Island).

St Agnes and Gugh, Isles of Scilly

 A Manxie chick at is burrow mouth on St Agnes, photograph by Jaclyn Pearson

“The small community of residents on St Agnes and Gugh in the Scilly Isles are now seeing the rewards of the removal of Norway or Brown Rats Rattus norvegicus from the island.  Breeding colonies of Manx shearwaters and [European] storm petrels [Hydrobates pelagicus] were completely lost, but the islands were declared rat free in 2016, and in 2024 there were 154 Manx shearwater pairs and 100 storm petrel pairs”, as reported on the Facebook page of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Read ALN articles on the successful effort to remove rats from St Agnes and Gugh.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 20 November 2025

A Manx Shearwater gets rescued from the sea at Newgale Beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Manx Shearwater Rescue Pembrokeshire collects stranded Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus along the Welsh coast to release back to sea according to a feature article from the UK’s Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds (RSPB).  The birds are reported to be fledglings making their maiden flights to spend the winter off the coast of Argentina.

“Storms can exacerbate the problem, leading to mass strandings.  In such conditions, volunteers can gather up to 200 birds in a day off beaches. This season, over 1000 [1147] birds were rescued and released.  Such events are only going to be made worse by climate change.  In 2025 there have been two mass stranding events, compared with two in the 10 years prior.”

“Manxie” is the logo of Manx Shearwater Rescue Pembrokeshire

The volunteer group also rescues birds away from the coast that have been blown inland by gales or affected by light pollution.  On 1 November the group held its first “Manx Shearwater Farewell” on Newgale Beach.  Attendants listened to a poem specially written for the event by Nicola Davies, the Children's Laureate Wales.  Inspired by the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust in New Zealand, the farewell included releasing feathers.  Watch a 1.30 minute video clip of the event and look out for the “Manxie Cake” at the end!

You can follow Manx Shearwater Rescue Pembrokeshire via its Facebook Page.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 19 November 2025

 Wedge-tailed Shearwater chick in the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, photograph from Pacific Rim Conservation

Within the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the Hawaiian island of Kauai Wedge-tailed Shearwaters Ardenna pacifica now breed inside a predator-proof fence protected from feral pigs.  As a consequence, breeding success has increased markedly since the last pigs were eradicated, as reported recently by Pacific Rim Conservation on its Facebook Page.

“Back in July, our team found, grubbed, and marked 600 active ‘Ua‘u kani (Wedge-tailed Shearwater) nests across the refuge, and a few weeks ago we revisited each one to determine final nest outcomes.   In 2022, prior to the mammalian exclusion fence construction, apparent nest success was 58%. This year, with pigs successfully eradicated, and cat and rodent eradications underway, the overall apparent nest success was 78%!”

A feral pig within the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge feeds on a Wedge-tailed Shearwater in October 2024, photograph from Pacific Rim Conservation (click here)

“This marks our fourth year of monitoring Wedgie nesting success at Kīlauea Point.  Over time, this dataset will help us understand how nesting success responds to predator management and how it varies across the refuge’s diverse habitats.”

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 18 November 2025

A pair of Flesh-footed Shearwaters, photograph from the Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden

The Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden reports on Facebook that the Near Threatened Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carnepeis has expanded its breeding grounds on Phillip Island (190 ha) offshore of Norfolk Island, an External Territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and the French Territory of New Caledonia,

“Once only found near Red Knoll, about 20 pairs have now been discovered by long-term seabird researchers Nicholas Carlile and Terry O’Dwyer in a new forest patch near the track from Parks Hut to Owen Evans’ camp”, identified by their distinctive calls at night.

“From October to May, these birds return to reunite with partners, spruce up burrows, and mate.  Their growing numbers are more than just a rare sighting, as they play a vital role in island regeneration, enriching soil with ocean nutrients through their guano.”

The Flesh-footed Shearwater was identified at a 2019 ACAP meeting as a species for listing on the Agreement’s ANNEX 1 but as yet no formal proposal has been made to the Parties.

The bird has been well studied, especially in relation to ingested plastic, on Lord Howe Island (click here).  The species has also been studied in New Zealand.

It has been proposed that the species be renamed the Sable Shearwater; Pale-footed is also an option.

Read about petrels on Phillip Island here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 17 November 2025