Understand
Little tern comeback colony at Chesil Beach in Dorset targeted by fox attack
Overview
A recovery project for little terns at Chesil Beach in Dorset recorded 66 breeding pairs this year, the highest number since 2001. However, conservation efforts were impacted by a fox attack through a defective fence. Despite the predation, some birds successfully raised second broods, fledging around 20 to 25 chicks which have now begun their migration to west Africa.
Key points
- Sixty-six breeding pairs of little terns were recorded at Chesil Beach in Dorset this year, the highest number since 2001.
- The colony suffered a predation event by a fox that likely entered through a defective fence.
- Despite the attack, resilient seabirds had second broods and fledged approximately 20 to 25 chicks.
- Little terns are the second-rarest breeding seabird in the UK and Ireland, with populations declining by 39% since the 1980s.
- The surviving fledglings have departed on a 3,000-mile migration journey to west Africa for the winter.