Major conservation breakthrough: Puffins return to Isle of Muck on East Antrim coast after 25 years

A puffin makes history on the Isle of Muck Nature Reserve, off Islandmagee – the first to nest here in Ulster Wildlife’s 25 years of managing this seabird sanctuary. (Images & Video: Ronald Surgenor)

For the first time in a quarter of a century, puffins have been recorded nesting on Ulster Wildlife’s Isle of Muck Nature Reserve, off Islandmagee in Co. Antrim — marking a significant milestone for seabird recovery in Northern Ireland.

The discovery, made during routine surveys this summer, follows years of determined conservation work, including an ambitious project to eradicate invasive brown rats, the greatest threat to seabird eggs and chicks.

The charity has managed the tiny island for more than 25 years, but this is the first confirmed puffin nesting during that time.

A long-awaited comeback

Signs of improvement have been steady since Ulster Wildlife launched its seabird recovery programme in 2017. Removing brown rats and introducing winter grazing to keep vegetation low have helped restore a safe breeding habitat for a wide range of seabirds.

Eider ducks, guillemots, herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls have all shown year-on-year increases. But the breakthrough came in 2024, when five puffins were spotted investigating the island.

This summer, the charity captured footage of two puffins emerging from a nesting burrow on the grassy cliff ledges — a strong indication that breeding has begun.

The puffin comeback at the Isle of Muck Nature Reserve follows Ulster Wildlife’s ambitious seabird recovery project to remove invasive brown rats from the tiny island, off Islandmagee – the biggest threat to seabird eggs and chicks.

Andy Crory, Nature Reserves Manager with Ulster Wildlife, said:

“For decades, there had been whispers that puffins once bred on the Isle of Muck, a story that felt more like folklore than fact. But now, thanks to years of hard work creating a safe haven for thousands of seabirds, that myth is becoming a reality.

“Seabirds face immense challenges globally, with 24 of the 25 breeding species at risk of local or global extinction. So, while a handful of puffins on a tiny island may seem small, this moment is huge – it proves that seabird restoration works.

“Our hope is that the Isle of Muck will become a thriving stronghold for puffins and, in time, tempt back other lost species like the Manx shearwater. For now, we’re waiting with great excitement to see if the first ‘pufflings’ – baby puffins – appear on the cliffs next summer. That truly would be the icing on the cake.”

A protected sanctuary

The rat eradication and species monitoring programme is funded by DAERA via the Carrier Bag Levy.

To protect the birds, the Isle of Muck remains strictly off-limits to the public. Ulster Wildlife has issued a safety warning about the tidal tombolo that occasionally links the island to the mainland, urging people not to attempt crossing and to admire the wildlife from a safe distance.

Why puffin recovery matters

Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are of the highest conservation concern on the British Red List. Northern Ireland holds a small but crucial portion of the UK’s 580,000 breeding pairs — around 10% of the global population.

Puffins nest in burrows or rock crevices, laying a single egg each season. Chicks, known as pufflings, remain underground for around six weeks before taking to the sea. The species is highly vulnerable to climate change, shifts in fish stocks, and invasive predators such as rats.

Given their longevity — puffins can live for more than 20 years — successful breeding on the Isle of Muck could help bolster the species’ future in Northern Ireland for decades to come.

For more information about the Isle of Muck Nature Reserve, visit Ulster Wildlife’s website.