Conservation works on Ilhéu da Vila, Santa Maria

Aug. 24, 2022

The Ilhéu da Vila (islet9 is one of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project's intervention areas. Here occur endemic flora species of the region and significant colonies of sea birds nest, such as the Barolo Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri baroli), the Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis), the Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) and the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo).

In order to increase the reproduction and survival rate of the seabird species that choose this place to nest, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with its partners Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) and the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies (DRPM), developed several conservation actions on this islet.

Thus, through the verification of the abundance, reproductive success and survival rate of the birds present on the islet in 103 artificial nests and 140 natural nests, the success of the artificial nests installed was registered. 

Also worth mentioning is the installation of a sound system to attract seabirds and potentiate the occupation of fabricated nests, as well as the maintenance of cameras with a movement sensor, which allows the assessment of predation events.

These conservation actions are integrated in the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project through the Action C6 "Implementation of integrated conservation works for Seabirds".

Find out more about this and other actions of this project on www.lifeazoresnatura.eu/en/.