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Cited by 1,176Avian ecology and behaviorMarine animal studies overviewAnimal Ecology and Behavior Studies

Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment

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CROXALL, JOHN P., BUTCHART, STUART H. M., LASCELLES, BEN, STATTERSFIELD, ALISON J., SULLIVAN, BEN, SYMES, ANDY, TAYLOR, PHIL·2012·Bird Conservation International
DOI 10.1017/s0959270912000020
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Abstract

Summary: We review the conservation status of, and threats to, all 346 species of seabirds, based on BirdLife International’s data and assessments for the 2010 IUCN Red List. We show that overall, seabirds are more threatened than other comparable groups of birds and that their status has deteriorated faster over recent decades. The principal current threats at sea are posed by commercial fisheries (through competition and mortality on fishing gear) and pollution, whereas on land, alien invasive predators, habitat degradation and human disturbance are the main threats. Direct exploitation remains a problem for some species both at sea and ashore. The priority actions needed involve: a) formal and effective site protection, especially for Important Bird Area (IBA) breeding sites and for marine IBA feeding and aggregation sites, as part of national, regional and global networks of Marine Protected Areas; b) removal of invasive, especially predatory, alien species (a list of priority sites is provided), as part of habitat and species recovery initiatives; and c) reduction of bycatch to negligible levels, as part of comprehensive implementation of ecosystem approaches to fisheries. The main knowledge gaps and research priorities relate to the three topics above but new work is needed on impacts of aquaculture, energy generation operations and climate change (especially effects on the distribution of prey species and rise in sea level). We summarise the relevant national and international jurisdictional responsibilities, especially in relation to endemic and globally threatened species.

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  • The damaging effects of introduced predators on nesting seabirds at offshore colony islands has led to an implicit assumption in much of the published literature that terrestrial carnivores and colonial seabirds cannot coexist.

    “The damaging effects of introduced predators on nesting seabirds at offshore colony islands has led to an implicit assumption in much of the published literature that terrestrial carnivores and colonial seabirds cannot coexist (Courchamp et al. 2003; Hays and Conant 2007; Croxall et al. 2012; Nogales et al. 2013).”

    From River Otter Predation of Nesting Seabirds Along the Coasts of North America (2025) · cites this paper as Croxall et al. 2012

    The Threats section (page not provided) identifies invasive species at breeding sites as a major threat to seabirds, supporting the claim about damaging effects. It does not say that published literature assumes terrestrial carnivores and colonial seabirds cannot coexist, or that predator impacts led to such an assumption. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Seabirds are among the most threatened groups of birds, with anthropogenic impacts resulting in population declines for the majority of species.

    “Seabirds are among the most threatened groups of birds, with anthropogenic impacts resulting in population declines for the majority of species (Croxall et al. 2012; Dias et al. 2019).”

    From River Otter Predation of Nesting Seabirds Along the Coasts of North America (2025) · cites this paper as Croxall et al. 2012

    The Status section says seabirds are more threatened than comparable bird groups, and the Threats section identifies several human-related pressures. The Trends section reports declines in 47% of all seabird species, or 52% of species with known trends. Thus, the claim's “majority of species” wording is supported only if limited to species with known trends; the paper does not establish that anthropogenic impacts caused every reported decline. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 19

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  19. JOHN P. CROXALL*, STUART H. M. BUTCHART, BEN LASCELLES, ALISON J. STATTERSFIELD, ANDY SYMES, PHIL TAYLOR BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK.

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Authors
CROXALL, J. P., BUTCHART, S. H. M., LASCELLES, B., STATTERSFIELD, A. J., SULLIVAN, B., SYMES, A., & TAYLOR, P.
Affiliations
  • BirdLife international (GB)
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (GB)
Corresponding author
CROXALL, JOHN P.
ORCID
Venue
Bird Conservation International
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2012-02-06
Volume
22
Issue
1
Pages
1-34
ISSN
  • 0959-2709 (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-0001
DOI
10.1017/s0959270912000020
OpenAlex
W2142548765
Cited by
1,176
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 63 · 2025: 76 · 2024: 77 · 2023: 79 · 2022: 78 · 2021: 129 · 2020: 110 · 2019: 97 · 2018: 77 · 2017: 99 · 2016: 81 · 2015: 64 · 2014: 66 · 2013: 64 · 2012: 12
FWCI
58.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations
Bird Conservation International (publishedVersion)
Funders
University of California, Santa Cruz
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Marine animal studies overview
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
Keywords
seabirds, conservation status, extinction risk, IUCN Red List, bycatch, habitat degradation, human disturbance, marine protected areas, Important Bird Areas, ecosystem-based fisheries management, aquaculture impacts, energy development impacts, climate change impacts, sea level rise, knowledge gaps, endemic species

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