Located off the coast of Antrim, the Isle of Muck has been the site of an ambitious seabird recovery project led by Ulster Wildlife. This year, a major milestone was reached with the return of some adorable auks – Atlantic puffins!
Ulster Wildlife is a charity that focuses on protecting and restoring nature. They took management of the small island’s seabird sanctuary 25 years ago, throughout which no puffins were recorded until last year when five puffins were spotted on the island. In spring 2025, camera traps confirmed the return of the birds when two adults were spotted coming and going from a nesting burrow – indicating that the pair were breeding!
This comeback is credited to Ulster Wildlife's seabird recovery project
This comeback is credited to Ulster Wildlife’s seabird recovery project in which the charity focused on the removal of invasive brown rats. These rodents, which originated in Central Asia, predate on seabird eggs, chicks, and even the occasional adult. This poses a major risk for burrowing seabirds like the puffins.
The eradication began in 2017 and was coupled with winter grazing, where livestock continue to feed on pastures during the winter months. The grazing ensured that vegetation remained low and reduced cover for the rats, making them easier to spot.
Signs of seabird recovery began to show early on, with annual surveys recording a steady increase in multiple seabird species. This included eider ducks, guillemots, lesser black-backed gulls, and the red-listed herring gulls.
However, the puffins were the real breakthrough. Nature Reserves Manager with Ulster Wildlife, Andy Crory, stated that:
“For decades, there had been whispers that puffins once bred on the Isle of Muck, a story that felt more like folklore than fact, […] that myth is becoming a reality.”
With 18 of the 26 breeding seabird species in the UK facing the threat of extinction, the work done by Ulster Wildlife is more important than ever.
The return of these puffins to the Isle of Muck may seem small but its impact is huge; it shows that the seabird restoration can be done. With 18 of the 26 breeding seabird species in the UK facing the threat of extinction, the work done by Ulster Wildlife is more important than ever.
The rat eradication programme is ongoing, and Ulster Wildlife looks forward to hopefully seeing some pufflings – baby puffins – on the island in the following years, as well as the return of other lost species, such as the Manx Shearwater.