Be the first to comment!Stranded Yelkouan Shearwater fledglings rescued by BirdLife Malta
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BirdLife Malta is appealing to the public to help disorientated Yelkouan Shearwater chicks as the fledging season starts.
BLM has said that in the last few days, it has rescued two Yelkouan Shearwater fledglings after they were found stranded in Ghadira Bay and Bugibba.
It is at this time of year, from June to mid-July, that young Yelkouan Shearwater chicks begin to leave their nests for the first time from within remote cliff-side locations.
BirdLife said that fledging at night and using the light of the horizon to guide them away from the coast, it is likely these young seabirds became disorientated from the light pollution of urban areas leaving them stranded inland on their first flight.
“This leads them to stranding in roads, seafronts, ports, towns, and other urbanised areas with strong lights, unable to fly back out to sea whilst putting their survival in danger,” said BLM.
Malta is home to up to 10% of the global population of Yelkouan Shearwaters equating to around 2,000 breeding pairs found in various sites across the Islands.
BirdLife said that “despite this, the species population is in decline, with one of the main threats being light pollution. Bugibba, Qawra, Mellieha, Salina, and Cirkewwa are the main sources of light pollution for the Yelkouan Shearwaters colonies of St. Paul’s Island, Comino and Rdum tal-Madonna – Malta’s biggest colony.”
It said that each year, many of these seabirds become stranded inland unable to fly back to sea, leaving them vulnerable to predation and passing vehicles.
BirdLife Malta’s LIFE Arcipelagu Garnija project is working to reduce the impacts of light pollution close to the colonies to ensure this seabird’s long-term protection.
BLM said that it is only with the support of the public who report the stranding of young seabird chicks that it is able to rescue and release them back into safe locations at night, allowing them to continue on their journey at sea.
If anyone finds a stranded Yelkouan Shearwater, please call BirdLife Malta and gently place the bird in a cardboard box in a dark area until it can be collected.
Photo: Yelkouan Shearwater fledgling (Photo by Benjamin Metzer)
