Sule Skerry
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Puffin (Fratercula arctica), breeding | Favourable | — | 2019-03-04 |
| F2 | Seabird colony, breeding | Favourable | — | 2019-03-25 |
| F3 | Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), breeding | Unfavourable Declining | — | 2019-03-11 |
| F4 | Storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), breeding | Favourable | — | 2019-03-11 |
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
Landscape processes: Coastal
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| fulmar | Breeding |
| guillemot | Breeding |
| kittiwake | Breeding |
| puffin | Breeding |
| razorbill | Breeding |
Description
Sule Skerry Sule Skerry Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a low-lying island located 60 kilometres west of Brough Head, which is in the north-west of the Orkney Mainland. The island supports a range of seabirds which breed in nationally and internationally important numbers. The Island’s coast is made up of low rocky cliffs and geos which support a diverse range of breeding seabirds. Those which can be found here include kittiwake, fulmar, guillemot, razorbill, Arctic terns and Leach’s petrel. The deep layer of peaty soil and rocky outcrops which covers the centre of the island provides habitat for Orkney’s largest puffin colony. This contains approximately 10% of the UK puffin population. Shags also nest along the coastline and the site supports over 2% of the UK breeding population. One of Orkney’s largest populations of storm petrel occurs here and contributes over 1% of the UK breeding population.
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 |
| fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | CR (Breeding) | bird-fulmar | procellariidae |
| kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | EN (Breeding) | bird-gull | laridae |
| storm petrel | Hydrobates pelagicus | LC (Breeding) | bird-petrel | hydrobatidae |