Severe weather and recent storms are believed to be behind the deaths of dozens of puffins found along beaches in north-east England, conservation groups said.

The bodies of the seabirds have been discovered at several coastal locations, including parts of Northumberland and Sunderland. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) described the incident as a “seabird wreck”, a phenomenon in which large numbers of seabirds die within a short time.

Puffins are classified as a vulnerable species in the UK and breed on offshore islands such as Coquet Island and the Farne Islands. However, they typically remain at sea during winter and are not expected to return to their nesting sites for several weeks.

The RSPB warned that such mass deaths could lead to serious declines in puffin colonies, with recovery likely to take time. A spokesperson said the precise cause has yet to be confirmed, but recent storms, seen as another sign of climate change, may have made feeding conditions at sea increasingly difficult, causing birds to struggle to find food and eventually starve. Avian flu has also not been ruled out.

The National Trust, which manages the Farne Islands nature reserve, said the harsh weather was the most probable cause, though it noted that reaching absolute scientific certainty would be difficult. The charity added that the true impact on puffin numbers would only become clear after annual population counts are completed.

Puffins spend the winter months offshore, largely in the North Sea, although tracking data shows some travel into the Atlantic Ocean. Local colonies had already suffered heavy losses in 2022, when thousands of birds died during a widespread avian flu outbreak.

#From BBC