Fifty Years of Tern Conservation in Brittany

27 Mar Fifty Years of Tern Conservation in Brittany

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Abstract

English Abstract

Four species of Terns breed regularly in Brittany:
Sandwich Sterna sandvicensis, Common Sterna
hirundo, Roseate Sterna dougallii and Little Sterna
albifrons. Since the 1950’s their populations and
distribution have been monitored, in the mean time
an important network of nature reserves has been
progressively established over the whole region.
Since 1989 the “Observatoire des sternes de
Bretagne” allows the different actors of terns
colonies management to share their data in order
to establish a regional vision of the species dynamics
and enables the valorisation of the volunteerled
colony monitoring. This work is financed by the
Conseil régional de Bretagne, the Conseils
généraux of Finistère and Côtes-d’Armor as well
as the DIREN-Bretagne. Comparing population
trends for all species highlights a strong decline
during the 1970’s of Roseate, Sandwich and, to a
lesser extent, Common Tern. The effects of creating
new reserves on Tern in Brittany are presented.
New reserves have not always resulted in higher
breeding populations. In the early parts of the 21 st
century, nearly all Roseate (70-80 pairs) and
Sandwich (1700 pairs) Terns bred in nature
reserves, while they held about 60% of Common
(1300 pairs) and 50% of Little (65 pairs) Tern. The
importance of management (vegetation management,
limitation of predators, wardening, public
information…) is illustrated using the “île au
Dames” colony the Bay of Morlaix