The Birdlife of Rum
Rum Bird Report 2008
Sean Morris, the islands regular bird expert, ringer and recorder has published the 2008 bird report. Viewable as a pdf file: Here
The report is facinating in showing the diverse range of birds that have and can been seen on the island.
Rum has an especially rich and diverse range of birdlife with several particularly special species.
Manx Shearwater
Around 61,000 pairs (23% of world population) breed on the Rum 'Cullins', digging nesting burrows in the soft volcanic Peridotite.
Manxies are truly seabirds and as true seabirds they are vulnerable to predation on land so come ashore under the cover of total darkness. Nightime colony visits up on the hills are spectacular, but there is also good opportunities of viewing them as they gather 
in huge ‘rafts’ before flooding ashore. The areas around Rum where they raft are being considered for an extension of the SPA (Special Protected Area) for this species.
Manx Shearwater spend the British winter off the coast of South America, returning in March, a round trip of 20,000 miles.
For more information on the Shearwater please visit the dedicated site 'Here'.
Golden Eagle
A bird of the high hills and Rum holds 3 - 4 pairs, giving the island SPA status for this species. You can frequently see Golden Eagles soaring overhead.
Sea Eagles
Sea Eagles are synonymous with Rum as the chosen location for their reintroduction.
White Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) Reintroduction
There was a tentative reintroduction in Argyll and Fair Isle 1959 but it was on Rum that a full scale reintroduction program took place between 1975 - 85. With a total of 85 young birds from Norway brought across and eventually released. This was
supplemented with a further 58 between 1993 - 98. These reintroduced birds now forming around 32 territorial breeding pairs throughout the western isles.
A fascinating short quicktime movie clip can be viewed 'HERE' showing John Love driving to Mallaig with the chicks and then after a period releasing them, the clip finishes rather beautifully with a chick in flight. Another 21 facinating clips and further information with lots of excellent still images on the Sea Eagle can also be found on the same site 'HERE'. You will have to follow the navigation to the right of the quicktime screen.
More information can also be found on the RSPB site 'HERE', the links from this page are also worth following.
Merlin
A typical raptor of heather moorland, nesting on the ground in long heather – dashing –may see them doggedly chasing small passerines.
Red-throated Diver
Rum is a Special Protected Area for this species (11 pairs). Nesting on the numerous wee lochans – they do not feed there but commute out to sea and back. Called red-throated diver for obvious reason. It is very important not to disturb these birds especially during the breeding season.
Guillemots
Rum is designated an SPA for its assemblage of breeding seabirds, with over 10,000 pairs breeding every year. Guillemots are among the main players with 2,680 pairs and epitomise high density colonial nesting.
Kittiwakes
With 1,500 pairs, these birds are also major part of the seabird cities . The sight of several hundred birds gathering inland at freshwater to collect mud for plastering their nests cliff side is spectacular.
IMPORTANT NOTICE !
The main seabird colonies are situated on the south coast such near Dibidil.
Please don’t get too close !
We strongly advise visitors to be aware that excessive disturbance can cause birds to desert eggs or chicks. April to June which is a very busy time for breeding birds.
To avoid inadvertent disturbance, casually move away from an area if birds are making themselves obvious; calling loudly, approaching close to you or pretending to be injured. If you stumble across any nests, again move away from the area and do not handle nest or contents. - Many thanks.
Text adapted from Scottish Natural Heritage information.
images © Laurie Campbell
