The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA BirdLife) counted, with the support of several entities and citizens who have been monitoring beaches, more than 400 puffins found dead on the Portuguese coast in recent days. The high number of strandings – birds that wash up on shore already weakened or dead – will be associated with the storms that hit the country in recent weeks, and it is likely that the real dimension of the phenomenon is greater than current records.
According to SPEA, the cases are distributed across a large part of the coast. “We know that cases are occurring along a large part of the coast, so it is very likely that the 400 records we have are just a small part of the total. We need citizens’ help to understand the true dimension of the situation”, explains Hany Alonso, senior science technician at SPEA, adding that “this information is essential to identify the affected species, estimate numbers and understand the impact on populations”.
To improve the estimation of the scale of the problem, the environmental organization requests the registration of birds found on the ICAO platform, available online and in a mobile application.
Strandings are being reported along the entire continental coast and also in the Azores. On the continent, there are records of dozens of birds on the north coast, in the Peniche region and on the coast of southwest Alentejo. Similar situations are being recorded in Galicia, with more than 400 occurrences, and on the French Atlantic coast, with more than 200 cases, which points to a large-scale phenomenon in the European Atlantic.
A similar situation occurred in the winter of 2022/23, when Portugal recorded more than 1,700 stranded puffins in just two weeks, also following adverse weather conditions.
Storms can lead coastal birds to seek shelter on land and cause the stranding of weaker birds. However, prolonged periods of bad weather have a cumulative effect: rough seas and difficulty feeding lead many birds to extreme exhaustion.
“In the case of puffins, if the birds have difficulty feeding for prolonged periods, they can see their physical condition deteriorate, ending up flying away already very exhausted and in poor physical condition. This is why many end up dying, even after being rescued, as they are already very weak” explains Hany Alonso.
Climate change could worsen the situation
SPEA warns that these episodes may become more frequent, in a context of climate change that increases extreme meteorological phenomena. The organization highlights the importance of understanding the impact of these events on biodiversity and implementing measures that mitigate their negative effects.
In addition to storms, splashes can also result from accidental catches in fishing gear, pollution or disease.
If a live but weakened bird is found, SEPNA/GNR or ICNF must be contacted. If it is not possible to obtain an immediate response and it is possible to transport the animal, it is recommended to avoid direct contact (using gloves or a piece of clothing), place it in a cardboard box and quickly send it to a recovery center.
SPEA warns that “you should not attempt to feed or water the bird, as the ideal would be for it to be evaluated by the veterinary team at the recovery center, to provide appropriate care”.
The organization also reinforces the call for recording all seabirds found, alive or dead, through the free platform, which allows you to attach photographs and relevant information to support scientific research.
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