# Seabird Colony Recovers After Bird Flu Wipeout

> Record numbers of Sandwich Terns are now nesting at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, after conservation efforts followed a devastating 2022 avian flu outbreak.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-19T06:31:33.259030Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/seabird-colony-recovers-after-bird-flu-wipeout-c04eb8f8

In 2026, the Sandwich Tern colony at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, England, rebounded to a record 756 breeding pairs, producing 570 fledglings, four years after a severe bird flu outbreak wiped out the entire site [1][2]. This recovery represents a significant success for conservation efforts aimed at restoring seabird populations.

This resurgence offers a hopeful example of how targeted local conservation can help wildlife recover from major disease outbreaks [5]. The success at Pagham Harbour provides a model for mitigating the impact of widespread avian flu, which has caused declines in seabird populations globally [5][8].

## What the records show

Monitoring reports from 2026 confirm that 756 Sandwich Tern pairs nested at RSPB Pagham Harbour, making it one of England's largest colonies [2][3][4]. These pairs produced 570 fledglings [1]. The 2022 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak caused the entire Sandwich Tern colony to be abandoned, leaving zero breeding pairs [1][2][4]. Other species also saw increases. Black-headed Gull fledglings surged tenfold from 51 in 2025 to 504 in 2026 [1]. Little Tern fledglings rose from 21 to 34 [1]. Eighteen pairs of Avocets nested on newly created islands within a saline lagoon at Ferry Pool [1].

## The timeline

In 2022, a severe HPAI outbreak completely wiped out the Sandwich Tern colony at Pagham Harbour, leading to the abandonment of the entire breeding site [1][2][7]. Black-headed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls were also affected [1][7]. By 2026, Sandwich Terns returned in record numbers [4][5][6]. This followed several years of conservation efforts by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) staff and volunteers [4][5].

## What changed and for whom

The Sandwich Tern colony's return, from non-existent in 2022 to 756 breeding pairs in 2026, marks the most significant change [1][2][7]. This established one of England's largest Sandwich Tern colonies [2][4]. The RSPB implemented a conservation strategy involving hundreds of hours of work from staff and volunteers [2][4]. Key actions included managing and restoring existing islands, and creating new ones, such as an island formed in 2021 at Pagham Harbour [4]. These habitats provided suitable nesting spaces for ground-nesting birds along the Solent [4]. The reserve team annually manages vegetation, installs exclusion fencing to deter predators, and enforces biosecurity against rats [4]. Continuous monitoring via cameras and direct observation, with patrols by rangers, minimized disturbance [4]. Wetland enhancement, specifically new islands in Ferry Pool, provided safer nesting areas for species like avocets [1]. These efforts form part of the broader Solent Seascape Project, supported by local authorities including West Sussex County Council, Chichester District Council, and Arun District Council [4][7].

## What the subject has said publicly

Wez Smith, RSPB Senior Project Manager, acknowledged the severe impact of HPAI in 2022, which caused the abandonment of the Pagham Harbour colony for Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls, and Mediterranean Gulls [1]. He stated, "It's taken several years of dedicated conservation action, but the situation began to 'tern' around last year, and the site is now thriving with record-breaking populations using it" [1].

## What we could not confirm

We could not confirm the specific number of Mediterranean Gulls affected or how their population has recovered. We also could not confirm the exact number of staff versus volunteer hours contributed to the conservation efforts.

## Evidence cited
1. Seabird numbers bounce back in Solent region after 2022 avian flu wipeout (www.theguardian.com) — https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/19/seabird-numbers-bounce-back-solent-region-avian-flu-rspb
2. Sandwich Tern Boom at Pagham Harbour - Winchester Local Group (rspb.org.uk) — https://rspb.org.uk/groups/winchester/news/2026/09/28/sandwich-tern-boom-at-pagham-harbour/
3. Pagham Harbour Sandwich Tern colony reaches record size - North East Hants Local Group (rspb.org.uk) — https://rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/pagham-harbour-sandwich-tern-colony-record-size/
4. Pagham Harbour Sandwich Tern colony reaches record size (rarebirdalert.co.uk) — https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/articles.aspx?id=6966
5. Bird Flu Decimated Sandwich Terns Return In Record Numbers (indiatimes.com) — https://www.indiatimes.com/news/world/bird-flu-decimated-sandwich-terns-return-in-record-numbers-610196.html
6. Instagram photo by Bird-Watchers.com • Aug 28, 2026 at 7:51 AM UTC (instagram.com) — https://www.instagram.com/bird_watchers_uk/p/C_V4Y_cMJgQ/
7. Seabird numbers in Solent bounce back for record year (theargus.co.uk) — https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24660447.seabird-numbers-solent-bounce-back-record-year/
8. Avian flu update (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-conservation/our-positions/avian-flu-update/
9. Avian Flu and UK wild birds: what you can do to help - The RSPB (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-conservation/campaigning-for-nature/bird-flu-uk-wild-birds-help/
10. RSPB report highlights continuing avian flu impacts on seabirds (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-conservation/bird-flu-impacts-on-seabirds/
11. Wildlife Disease Fund - The RSPB (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-conservation/wildlife-disease-fund/
12. Record year for seabird numbers in Solent as conservation efforts pay off after avian flu wipeout (sussexexpress.co.uk) — https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/environment/record-year-for-seabird-numbers-in-solent-as-conservation-efforts-pay-off-after-avian-flu-wipeout-4375003
13. New report on avian flu impacts on seabirds - The RSPB (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/new-report-on-avian-flu-impacts/
14. The Solent Seascape Project Partners are. The Solent Seascape Project is supported by East Head Impact and the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP), managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and funded by Arcadia. Photo ... Interested in learning more about the Solent Seascape Project and receiving updates on our latest activities, opportunities and events? Sign up to our mailing list today. Subscribe. Terms & Conditions · Privacy Policy. @ 2024 Solent Seascape Project. (solentseascape.com) — https://solentseascape.com/
15. Blue Marine's partners in the Solent Seascape Project are the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Chichester Harbour Protection and Recovery of Nature (CHaPRoN), the University of Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight Estuaries Project, Coastal Partners, Project Seagrass, Natural England and the Environment Agency. Pursuant to the project agreements, each partner has specific deliverables and responsibilities allocated to it. (eastheadimpact.com) — https://eastheadimpact.com/
16. Last year, an incredible partnership of ten influential partners - the Environment Agency, Natural England, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Project Seagrass, Coastal Partners, Isle of Wight Estuaries Project, CHaPRoN, University of Portsmouth and Blue Marine Foundation - took part in a series of workshops. These aimed to bring together and extend various existing initiatives and habitat restoration projects into one seascape scale vision. That vision became the Solent Seascape  (blog.gov.uk) — https://blog.gov.uk/
17. The Solent Seascape Project is the first of its kind in the UK to initiate recovery of the marine and coastal environment at a regional/seascape scale. The long-term vision for the project is to protect and restore of the Solents seascape, tipping the balance from a degraded state to a naturally expanding, connected and productive ecosystem. The project is underpinned by consultation and engagement that has been collaboratively designed with stakeholders and partners. There are ten official part (arcgis.com) — https://arcgis.com/
18. Record year for seabird numbers in Solent as conservation efforts pay off after avian flu wipeout (sussexexpress.co.uk) — https://sussexexpress.co.uk/news/environment/record-year-for-seabird-numbers-in-solent-as-conservation-efforts-pay-off-after-avian-flu-wipeout-4375003
19. Avian flu update (rspb.org.uk) — https://rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-conservation/our-positions/avian-flu-update/
20. Work to understand how avian influenza behaves in wild bird and mammal populations will be accelerated with the launch of a new £2.3 million research consortium it has been announced today (27 August). Scientists from the UK's world leading Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA), alongside the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB, NatureScot, and various academic institutions will collect and analyse samples from a range of bird and mammal populations to better understand how the virus behaves and fil (www.gov.uk) — https://www.gov.uk/
21. Sporting challenges with Team RSPB (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/sporting-challenges/
22. RSPB local groups (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/community-and-advice/local-groups/
23. Fundraise your way (rspb.org.uk) — https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/fundraise-your-way/