Fowlsheugh
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | Guillemot (Uria aalge), breeding | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
| F3 | Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), breeding | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
| F5 | Razorbill (Alca torda), breeding | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
| F6 | Seabird colony, breeding | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Basalt, Conglomerate, Sandstone
Landscape processes: Coastal, Volcanic / Igneous
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| fulmar | Breeding |
| guillemot | Breeding |
| kittiwake | Breeding |
| puffin | Breeding |
| razorbill | Breeding |
Description
FOWLSHEUGH Fowlsheugh is located on the east coast of Aberdeenshire about 5km south of Stonehaven. The site has the largest colony of breeding seabirds in the north-east of Scotland and one of the largest colonies in mainland Britain. The sheer cliffs, between 30 and 60 metres high which are cut mostly in basalt and conglomerate of Old Red Sandstone age, form a rock face with innumerable holes and ledges, and provides ideal sites for cliff nesting seabirds. The principal species, kittiwake, guillemot and razorbill, are present in nationally or internationally important numbers. The assemblage of breeding seabirds, more than 100 000 individuals, also includes smaller numbers of puffin, fulmar and shag, as well as herring and lesser and great black-backed gulls.
Species mentioned
Show the 6 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| razorbill | Alca torda | LC (Breeding) | bird-auk | alcidae |
| puffin | Fratercula arctica | CR (Breeding) | bird-auk | alcidae |
| guillemot | Uria aalge | LC (Breeding) | bird-auk | alcidae |
| shag | Gulosus aristotelis | VU (Breeding) | bird-frigate | fregatidae |
| fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | CR (Breeding) | bird-fulmar | procellariidae |
| kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | EN (Breeding) | bird-gull | laridae |