Understand
Dozens of emaciated seabirds wash up dead or dying in Orkney
Overview
Dozens of dead or dying seabirds, primarily guillemots, have washed up on a beach at Scapa in Orkney. Naturalist Martin Gray inspected a sample of the birds and found them to be completely emaciated, suggesting they died from inexperience in finding food and coping with severe weather.
Key points
- Dozens of seabirds, mostly guillemots, were found dead or dying on a beach at Scapa in Orkney.
- Naturalist Martin Gray inspected 24 of the birds and noted they were all severely emaciated with depleted wing and leg muscle mass.
- Southerly winds likely blew the deceased birds in from the sea.
- Gray stated that the young birds likely died due to inexperience in finding food and surviving tough weather conditions, rather than any sinister cause.