Richard Collins: The impact of wild weather on wild creatures

Seabirds reduce risk by flying into the eye of a storm

Storm Petrel: Ireland's smallest seabird. It gets its name as it's driven to shore by winds

Hurricanes and gales are wreaking havoc on people all over the world. But to what extent do storms also threaten wild creatures? Land-dwelling mammals and reptiles can shelter during rough weather and, unless migrating across water, birds do likewise. Seabirds, however, live out on the turbulent ocean with no place to hide. A flying bird risks being swept onto cliffs or carried inland.

Our smallest Irish seabird is called the ‘storm’ petrel because it’s driven to shore by winds. Other little petrels sometimes come to grief. Robert Ruttledge mentions Leach’s petrel ‘wrecks’ during severe gales in September and October 1891. There were particularly disastrous wrecks in October and November 1952; seabirds were found dead or exhausted in many parts of the country. An old problem is being acerbated by climate change.