Copeland Bird Observatory

CBO primarily carries out its activities on Lighthouse Island, one of the outer Copeland Islands at the mouth of Belfast Lough, designated as an ‘Area of Special Scientific Interest’ and a ‘Special Protection Area’ by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland. Alongside the annual reporting of CBO’s environmental data to statutory bodies, bird conservation and habitat management programmes developed and implemented by CBO supports the maintenance of these designations. Species monitored by CBO include many of Northern Ireland’s breeding seabirds including threatened or vulnerable species such as Manx Shearwater, Arctic Tern, Herring Gull, Black Guillemot, Shag, Puffin, and Eider, other Northern Ireland Priority Species for conservation such as breeding Oystercatcher, Stock Dove and Meadow Pipit, as well as migrating Twite, Hen Harrier and Curlew. Additionally long-term records on lepidoptera, marine mammals (seals and cetaceans), lichens and liverworts, and higher flora are collected and submitted to specialist organisations to inform conservation management strategies and to advance biodiversity.

CBO also carries out educational outreach programmes, normally through day or weekend trips to Lighthouse Island, in which the public and community groups can contribute and support our ornithological and conservation activities.