Bempton birds – when you know you’re being watched
Many birds are perfect parcels of protein. There are plenty of predatory species which would treat them as a tasty snack.
This Guillemot is watching me:



No wonder. People from San Francisco took nearly 500,000 eggs a year from Guillemots on the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th Century.
This Kittiwake is wary of us on the cliffs. Global heating by humans has led to warming of the seas and commercial fishing for sandeels has led to collapse in the food available to them. Their populations are in steep decline in many areas.

As for Puffins, they may appear innocent and friendly, but this may be their downfall, as they are still captured and eaten on Icelandic islands.

Razorbills are the closest living relatives of the Great Auk which is now extinct after being killed for food and feather pillows:





In the early 20th century, Razorbills were ‘harvested’ for eggs, meat and feathers.
Herring Gulls are often seen as pests because irresponsible feeding and poor storage of waste food has encouraged them into conflict with humans. Amazingly their population is threatened in the UK. Their breeding population has declined by 60% since 1969.

They’ve all evolved to be wary of humans. The ones that weren’t didn’t survive to have children.


As for this Gannet?

It’s me that’s frightened I’ll be captured and eaten by it.
More birds at Bempton Cliffs








