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Seabird spotting in Scotland
You can see some of the world’s most significant seabird colonies at our places during the summer. Find out which birds you can spot, and where to get the best views!
With a staggering 11,000 miles of coastline and more than 900 islands providing ideal sites for nesting, not to mention an abundance of fish in our seas, it’s no wonder Scotland is home to all kinds of seabird species, from gulls and gannets to cormorants and kittiwakes. More than 5 million seabirds breed in Scotland each year, and almost a fifth of these choose a place in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
Seabirds have adapted to life at sea, coping with salt water, high winds and rough seas. There are around 26 different species of seabird that breed in Scotland – spotting them in their natural habitat, often in huge numbers, can be an unforgettable experience. Here’s our quick guide to some of the different species you can see at our places, including some important seabird-spotting tips.
Seabirds you can see in Scotland
Puffins
Instantly recognisable thanks to their black and white feathers, colourful beak and orange legs, puffins nest in burrows on grassy clifftops – a nesting site is called a ‘puffinry’.
They have fast wingbeats and tend to flap low across the water before diving under the surface – sometimes as deep as 60 metres – to feed on small fish such as herring and sandeels. To help them grip slippery prey, they have backward-facing spines on the roof of their mouths.
When to spot them: March–August
Where to see them: St Kilda, Fair Isle, Canna, Treshnish Isles, Staffa
Gannets
One of the largest seabirds in Britain, northern gannets gradually change colour as they mature. At a year old they’re a dark shade of brown, but moult their plumage over three to five years until, as adults, they’ve turned bright white with black wingtips and yellow heads.
Gannets are famous for their ‘dive bomb’ feeding style, which sees them circle high over the waves before tucking in their wings and piercing headfirst into the water at up to 60mph.
When to spot them: February–October
Where to find them: St Abb’s Head NNR, St Kilda, Northern Isles
Razorbills
Razorbills are members of the auk (or Alcidae) family, which also includes puffins and guillemots. You can tell them by their black-and-white colouring and wedge-shaped bill with a white stripe down each side.
Razorbills are mostly aquatic and tend to only come on land to breed; when they do, they’re happy to share breeding sites with other seabirds, but tend to choose lower ledges, outcrops or crevices for their nests. Females typically only lay one egg per season and will often return to the same site year after year.
When to spot them: March–August
Where to find them: St Abb’s Head, Inner Hebrides
Guillemots
A widespread species along the rocky Scottish coastline, guillemots are known for breeding in vast and noisy seabird ‘cities’. Their dark brown plumage on top looks black from a distance, which means they can be confused for razorbills, but guillemots are slightly bigger and have a longer beak and shorter tail.
When foraging for food, guillemots dive under the water in search of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. They can stay submerged for several minutes, using their wings to cover distances of up to 30 metres, before needing to come back to the surface.
When to spot them: April–August
Where to find them: Shetland, Orkney, Canna
Great skua
Also known by their Shetland name of Bonxies, these are the largest species of skua. They are a dark chocolate colour flecked with lighter brown, with white patches visible on the wings during flight.
Great skuas (along with Arctic skuas) are sometimes called ‘pirates’ because they like to feed by chasing other seabirds and pinching their catch; they will even eat smaller seabirds like puffins. Be careful if around them – skuas are known for aggressively defending their breeding ground and are not afraid to attack humans who get too close to their nests.
When to spot them: April–September
Where to find them: St Kilda, Staffa, Shetland, Orkney
Arctic terns
These medium-sized terns are known as ‘sea swallows’ and are predominantly white, except for a black cap that stretches down their back. They nest in noisy colonies on sand and shingle beaches in the summer. Although hard to tell apart from common terns, look for the Arctic tern’s longer tail streamers and shorter beak – just don’t get too close to their nests as they can be aggressive.
Known for having the longest migrations of any bird on the planet, Arctic terns spend their summers in the UK but fly as far as Antarctica every winter.
When to spot them: April–August
Where to find them: Shetland, Arran
The above are just a few examples – there are many other seabird species to spot across Scotland, such as kittiwakes, fulmars, petrels, gulls, shearwaters, cormorants and shags. Chat to our friendly ranger teams at any of our seabird places, and they’ll be happy to let you know what’s around.
Our top seabird places
At a number of our places you can spot many different seabird species together in the same stunning natural habitat – bumper locations for seabird fans!
St Abb’s Head NNR
This is one of the most accessible seabird colonies in Scotland due to it being on the mainland, within easy reach of Edinburgh as well as another famous seabird colony at Bass Rock in East Lothian. A walk along the clifftops gives you the perfect vantage point of the cliff faces, gullies and offshore stacks that provide nesting spots for tens of thousands of seabirds from May to July every year.
Expect to see: guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, shags, herring gulls and fulmars
St Kilda World Heritage Site
This remote archipelago towers out of the Atlantic Ocean and is home to an estimated 1 million seabirds, including the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins. Until 1930 it was also home to a community of islanders who depended on the seabirds for meat, oil, eggs and feathers. Brave the waves on the journey here and you’ll be rewarded with one of the most spectacular natural sights, and sounds, in the world.
Expect to see: puffins, gannets, fulmars, shearwaters, petrels, kittiwakes, skuas and shags
Mingulay, Canna and Staffa
These three places are in relatively close proximity off the west coast of Scotland, but each has its own unique features and habitats. You can enjoy a puffin-spotting picnic on the top of Staffa, spot birds overhead from the beaches on Mingulay, or bring your binoculars to see what is nesting on the huge cliffs at Canna.
Expect to see: puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars and skuas
Treshnish Isles
The Treshnish islands are regarded as one of the most important breeding seabird locations in Europe. On Lunga, the biggest and most accessible island, a short walk from the boat landing area leads to a puffin colony, where in summer you can easily watch the birds from a short distance.
Expect to see: puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes and European storm petrels
Fair Isle
The most remote inhabited island in the UK is also a bird-watcher’s paradise. More than 350 species have been recorded here, and the island supports internationally significant numbers of 11 different species. Fair Isle has become an important site for monitoring seabird activity and gauging the health of seabird colonies in the UK’s most northerly waters.
Expect to see: guillemots, puffins, razorbills, petrels, fulmars and kittiwakes
How to spot seabirds safely and responsibly
When visiting our places, or spotting seabirds anywhere, there are some important things to keep in mind to protect both the birds and yourself.
- Keep a safe distance – don’t approach or try to touch seabirds; if you get too close, you might prevent the bird from getting food to its chicks.
- Look out for nests, ledges and burrows – make sure you know where different birds nest and be sure not to disturb them. Not only could you damage nests, but some birds will aggressively defend their territory if they feel under threat.
- Don’t take any risks – going closer to cliff edges or the sea to get a better view of the birds can be tempting, but it’s not worth the risk of falling.
If you want to support the work we do to monitor and protect seabird populations, you can donate to our Save Our Seabirds campaign or become a member today.