Lost in the glow: understanding the impact of light pollution on storm-petrels

Seabirds are highly susceptible to human-induced threats such as light pollution, which alters their behavior and leads to increased mortality rates. Reports of storm-petrels (Hydrobatidae) affected by light pollution exist worldwide, yet the population-level response of this diverse and globally distributed family remains severely understudied. Therefore, we aim to uncover, through an extensive literature review, the current state of evidence regarding the effects of light pollution on seabird populations of the Hydrobatidae family. We conducted a scoping review on Scopus and Web of Science academic platforms and obtained 12 articles that met our search criteria. Our results indicate storm-petrels’ groundings were recorded for almost all Hydrobatidae genera. Although inshore and offshore light pollution sources can lead to storm-petrel disorientation, the artificial light source characteristics (e.g., intensity, spectrum) were generally not quantified. Susceptibility to light pollution is associated with environmental factors (e.g., moon phase) and the storm-petrels’ age, as fallout occurs primarily in fledglings during their first flight leaving the colony. While a limited number of studies assessing light-induced storm-petrel mortality at a population level suggest that it may not be high enough to be deemed as a substantial threat, further research is required to fully understand the extent of light pollution as a potential danger and develop effective conservation measures.