Wildfowl of Islay

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Section B. Biological Sciences
• Main Author: Ogilvie, M. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1983
• Subjects: General Medicine; Greenland; Islay; Aythya marila; Branta leucopsis; Cygnus cygnus; Melanitta nigra; Somateria mollissima
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0269727000013543; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0269727000013543

Synopsis The island of Islay posssesses by far the largest population of wintering wildflowl in the Inner Hebrides; there are 18,000-20,000 barnacle geese Branta leucopsis and 4,000 Greenland white-fronted geese Anser albifrons jiavirostris. There is also a small flock of greylag geese A. anser. Most of the commoner dabbling and diving ducks spend the winter in small numbers, with a flock of 1,000 scaup Aythya marila the most important. A few hundred pairs of eider Somateria mollissima breed, and up to 3,000 wintering or moulting birds have occurred offshore. Other breeding duck are few in number, including up to five pairs of common scoter Melanitta nigra. Whooper swans Cygnus cygnus spent the winter in the past but are now common on passage only. Barnacle geese have trebled in numbers in the last twenty years, leading to complaints of agricultural damage, and a subsequent increase in shooting and disturbance followed by a recent decline in numbers. Annual data on populations, productivity and losses are presented. Greenland white-fronted geese have varied less in numbers, but shooting has increased and the situation is reviewed. All other wildfowl occurring on the island are dealt with briefly.