Kittiwakes nesting on offshore oil and gas infrastructure: An emerging and under‐recorded phenomenon
2025
Richard John Delahay | Tim Hounsome | Debs L. Allbrook | Stuart Bearhop | Jamie Dunning | Anna L. Lowden | Richard Sherley | Tom Smith | George Wilkinson | Alice Marie Trevail
Abstract Black‐legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) populations are in decline globally, including in Britain and Ireland, which support internationally important numbers. Although kittiwakes typically nest on coastal cliffs, they are known to colonise anthropogenic structures, including offshore oil and gas platforms. Lack of monitoring of offshore platform colonies represents a potentially important gap in our understanding of kittiwake population size and dynamics. The presence of nesting kittiwakes on oil and gas platforms presents a practical challenge for operators in relation to decommissioning and re‐purposing works. We use preliminary data from surveys of colonies on offshore oil and gas platforms to speculate on the scale of platform colonisation by kittiwakes and the potentially significant contribution this may make to the wider population. Practical Implication: We identify several research priorities to help address important evidence gaps and inform management strategies: (1) regular monitoring of offshore populations to inform national population censuses, (2) improved understanding of the ecological drivers of offshore breeding including selection of nesting sites and foraging habitats, fitness benefits and connectivity with onshore colonies and (3) collaboration with platform operators to develop practical approaches to minimise impacts of essential operational work on nesting kittiwakes.
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