Gull-Puffin Interactions on Great Island, Newfoundland

Abstract

The interaction between puffins and two species of gull was examined at Great Island, Newfoundland. It was found that gulls did not depend on puffins as a crucial food source, and did not switch to puffins as an alternative food source even when fish and squid were not available. It was also found that puffins tended to avoid areas where great black-backed gulls nested although they nested in large concentrations around the nests of herring gulls. Although gulls of both species would rob adult puffins returning with fish for their offspring, puffins were actually robbed less frequently when they nested around high densities of herring gulls. This was primarily because aggression between the gulls interfered with each other;s puffin-robbing efforts. This was also because puffins altered their normal landing behaviour apparently to swamp the gulls. It appears that gulls do not have as large a negative impact on puffins as some other studies suggest.