Little Tern colony facing extinction after massive egg theft
The Little Tern colony that breeds on the beach at Crimdon, near Hartlepool, has had all of its eggs stolen. The colony is still suffering from a 100% nesting failure last year due to predation by sparrow hawks and kestrels, and this unbelievably callous act may well drive the colony to extinction.
Little Terns fly from Africa each year to breed at Crimdon, just north of Hartlepool on Teesside. They nest on the beach, just above the high water line and are extremely vulnerable to weather and natural predators including Sparrow Hawks and Kestrels. The birds are watched over by volunteers led by Teesside's Industry and Nature Conservation Association, who try to ensure their safety, but unfortunately it was not a 24 hour watch.
Niall Benson: "Warden Trevor Stephenson discovered on the morning of 19th June that the Little Tern colony at Crimdon has been stripped of eggs by an egg collector. Last year the colony raised no chicks and this year has seen far fewer birds nesting. This loss is another hard hit and likely to lead to the extinction of the colony at Crimdon.
"What makes it worse is that these eggs are two thirds through incubation with well-formed chicks inside.
"Little Terns are one of Britain's rarest sea birds and are in rapid decline internationally. They come from West Africa every year to nest at Crimdon. Last year 110 pairs raised no chicks due to natural predators. This year we only have 65 pairs and this human predator is morally repugnant, criminal and will lead to the extinction locally of this amazing acrobatic, long distant migrant. I simply cannot understand why someone would do this?"
June 2013
