Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus Research Articles

Learning on the job? Foraging strategies of juvenile versus adult Lesser black-backed gulls at their first migratory stopover.

Developing efficient foraging strategies is critical for survival, especially during the high-mortality post-fledging period in birds. This period is particularly challenging for migratory species, where juveniles must navigate unfamiliar environments with limited experience and knowledge. Our study focused on the foraging strategies of 20 juvenile lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) during the first 20 days of their initial migratory stopover. We assessed learning through changes in their spatial (re)use and activity patterns using GPS tracking data, in direct comparison with similar data collected from 38 experienced adults. Juveniles were less exploratory and spent more time foraging than adults, but showed similar spatial consistency. Over time, both juveniles and adults reduced their range distribution areas, but only adults significantly reduced their flying time. Adults exhibited space use optimization by travelling shorter distances and spending progressively more time foraging. In contrast, juveniles showed no clear evidence of spatial learning or improved foraging skills, as there was no decrease in cumulative distance travelled nor a clear pattern in time spent foraging.

Winged resistance: Storks and gulls increase carriage of antibiotic resistance by shifting from paddy fields to landfills

Waterbirds are vectors for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance across environments, with some species increasingly reliant on highly anthropized habitats for feeding. However, data on the impact of their feeding habits on the carriage of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are still scarce. To fill this gap, we examined the microbiota (16S rRNA amplicon gene sequencing) and the prevalence of ARG (high-throughput qPCR of 47 genes) in faeces from white storks (Ciconia ciconia) and lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) feeding in highly (landfill) and less (paddy fields) polluted habitats. Faecal bacterial richness and diversity were higher in gulls feeding upon landfills and showed a greater abundance of potential pathogens, such as Staphylococcus. In contrast, faecal bacterial communities from storks were similar regardless of habitat preferences, maybe due to a less intense habitat use compared to gulls. In addition, birds feeding in the landfill carried a higher burden of ARGs compared to the surrounding soil and surface waters. Network analysis revealed strong correlations between ARGs and potential pathogens, particularly between tetM (resistance to tetracyclines), blaCMY (beta-lactam resistance), sul1 (sulfonamide resistance) and members of the genera Streptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, and Peptoclostridium. Our work demonstrates how transitioning from paddy fields to landfills fosters the carriage of ARGs and potential pathogens in the bird gut, shedding light on the ecological role of these avian vectors in antimicrobial resistance dissemination.

CORRIGENDUM: Thermal soaring over the North Sea and implications for wind farm interactions

Seabirds use several flight modes at sea, including thermal soaring, in which thermal uplift is used to gain altitude and save energy. An increase in flight altitude may have consequences for wind farm interactions if it results in birds spending more time within the rotor-swept zone (RSZ). To understand conditions under which thermal soaring occurs and potential implications for wind farm interactions, we investigated thermal soaring in relation to atmospheric conditions in June and July at 2 study areas in the North Sea, west and north of the Dutch coast. We developed algorithms that identified thermal soaring in GPS tracks of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus and radar tracks of seabirds. By combining species-specific 3-dimensional information on flight behaviour from bio-logging with the continuous spatiotemporal coverage of radar positioned at wind parks, we obtained a more comprehensive overview of thermal soaring at sea than either method would obtain alone. Our results showed that birds flew at higher altitudes during thermal soaring than non-soaring flight, increasing the proportion of flight time within the RSZ. Thermal soaring occurred inside offshore wind farms to a similar degree as outside. Thermal soaring was positively correlated with positive temperature differences (ΔT) between sea surface and air (at 2 m above sea level), and north and north-westerly winds. We show that the probability of thermal soaring over the North Sea, inside and outside wind farms, increases with larger temperature differences, resulting in increased time spent within the RSZ and an increased collision risk for seabirds.

Opportunistic citizen science data reveals habitat selection of lesser black-backed gulls in Central Europe.

This study is the first attempt to find a relation between the opportunistic observation data of an easily identifiable but locally rare bird, in our case the lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), and the Corine Land Cover habitat map by applying a resource selection function model to reveal the habitat selection of the species. We provide a scientific analysis using the valuable citizen science dataset sourced from the www.birding.hu website, collected by hundreds of volunteers over a span of more than a decade in Hungary. Birds selected for landfills, river and lake habitats and showed a significant but much smaller attraction towards urban areas, while they selected against arable lands. We found that in the case of rare and moderately common birds, we can obtain a representative picture of the habitat selection of the species, even if the data are collected by non-standardized means.

Flight heights obtained from GPS versus altimeters influence estimates of collision risk with offshore wind turbines in Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus

The risk posed by offshore wind farms to seabirds through collisions with turbine blades is greatly influenced by species-specific flight behaviour. Bird-borne telemetry devices may provide improved measurement of aspects of bird behaviour, notably individual and behaviour specific flight heights. However, use of data from devices that use the GPS or barometric altimeters in the gathering of flight height data is nevertheless constrained by a current lack of understanding of the error and calibration of these methods. Uncertainty remains regarding the degree to which errors associated with these methods can affect recorded flight heights, which may in turn have a significant influence on estimates of collision risk produced by Collision Risk Models (CRMs), which incorporate flight height distribution as an input. Using GPS/barometric altimeter tagged Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus from two breeding colonies in the UK, we examine comparative flight heights produced by these devices, and their associated errors. We present a novel method of calibrating barometric altimeters using behaviour characterised from GPS data and open-source modelled atmospheric pressure. We examine the magnitude of difference between offshore flight heights produced from GPS and altimeters, comparing these measurements across sampling schedules, colonies, and years. We found flight heights produced from altimeter data to be significantly, although not consistently, higher than those produced from GPS data. This relationship was sustained across differing sampling schedules of five minutes and of 10 s, and between study colonies. We found the magnitude of difference between GPS and altimeter derived flight heights to also vary between individuals, potentially related to the robustness of calibration factors used. Collision estimates for theoretical wind farms were consequently significantly higher when using flight height distributions generated from barometric altimeters. Improving confidence in telemetry-obtained flight height distributions, which may then be applied to CRMs, requires sources of errors in these measurements to be identified. Our study improves knowledge of the calibration processes for flight height measurements based on telemetry data, with the aim of increasing confidence in their use in future assessments of collision risk and reducing the uncertainty over predicted mortality associated with wind farms.

The Annual Cycle, Breeding Biology and Feeding Ecology of the Lesser Black-Backed Gull Larus fuscus

The Annual Cycle, Breeding Biology and Feeding Ecology of the Lesser Black-Backed Gull Larus fuscus

Distance doesn't matter: migration strategy in a seabird has no effect on survival or reproduction.

Migrating animals show remarkable diversity in migration strategies, even between individuals from the same population. Migrating longer distances is usually expected to be costlier in terms of time, energy expenditure and risks with potential repercussions for subsequent stages within the annual cycle. Such costs are expected to be balanced by increased survival, for example due to higher quality wintering areas or lower energy expenditure at lower latitudes. We compared reproductive parameters and apparent survival of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding in The Netherlands, whose winter range extends from the UK to West Africa, resulting in one-way migration distances that differ by more than 4500 km. Individuals migrating furthest arrived later in the colony than shorter distance migrants, but still laid in synchrony with the colony and consequently had a shorter pre-laying period. This shorter pre-laying period affected neither egg volumes nor hatching success. We found no relationship between migration distance and apparent survival probability, corresponding with previous research showing that annual energy expenditure and distance travelled throughout the year is similar across migration strategies. Combined, our results indicate an equal fitness payoff across migration strategies, suggesting there is no strong selective pressure acting on migration strategy within this population.

Seed Size, Not Dispersal Syndrome, Determines Potential for Spread of Ricefield Weeds by Gulls.

Recent field data suggest that migratory gulls disperse many rice field weeds by gut passage (endozoochory), most of which are dry fruited and widely assumed to have no long-distance dispersal mechanisms, except via human activity. We investigated this mechanism with a feeding experiment, in which seeds of five common rice field weeds (in order of increasing seed size: Juncus bufonius, Cyperus difformis, Polypogon monspeliensis, Amaranthus retroflexus, and the fleshy-fruited Solanum nigrum) were fed to seven individuals of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus held in captivity. We quantified seed survival after collecting faeces at intervals for 33 h after ingestion, then extracting intact seeds and running germination tests, which were also conducted for control seeds. All five species showed high seed survival after gut passage, of >70%. Gut retention times averaged 2-4 h, but maxima exceeded 23 h for all species. Germinability after gut passage was 16-54%, and gut passage accelerated germination in J. bufonius and S. nigrum, but slowed it down in the other species. All species had lower germinability after gut passage compared to control seeds (likely due to stratification prior to the experiment), but the loss of germinability was higher in smaller seeds. There was no evidence that the different dispersal syndromes assigned to the five species (endozoochory, epizoochory or barochory) had any influence on our results. In contrast, mean gut retention time was strongly and positively related to seed size, likely because small seeds pass more quickly from the gizzard into the intestines. Non-classical endozoochory of dry-fruited seeds by waterbirds is a major but overlooked mechanism for potential long-distance dispersal, and more research into this process is likely essential for effective weed management.

Gull-human interactions in an urban population of Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus

ABSTRACT Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus were involved in more nuisance events with humans as the breeding season progressed, although human provisioning was negatively associated with gull nuisance events.

Daily, seasonal, and annual variation in area use of Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus related to offshore renewable developments

ABSTRACT Capsule Individually tracked Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus rarely visited offshore areas in this study but showed high variation across multiple time scales in overall area use. Aims To quantify the variation in space use by Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a species of conservation concern, from short- and long-term data on tracked individuals, and to assess the time spent offshore and interacting with offshore wind farms (OWFs) before and after their construction. Methods GPS tracking data were collected between 2016 and 2019 from 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls breeding in a declining colony in the UK with several operational OWFs nearby. Variations in home ranges, foraging trip metrics and the proportion of time spent offshore or within OWFs were analysed at three temporal scales: (i) over a daily cycle, (ii) across the breeding season and (iii) between years. Results Individuals predominantly used terrestrial areas. Less than 1.25% of the overall breeding season time budgets were spent offshore across years, and offshore use and time within OWFs did not vary significantly between years. However, home range sizes and foraging trip metrics did vary significantly across all time scales and individual variation was significant. Conclusion Our results suggested that there was little change in the relative use of offshore areas over time and thus in the macro-scale response of Lesser Black-backed Gulls to the OWFs, one of which was under construction during the period of study. Colony productivity and changes in the terrestrial environment were likely to be more important for influencing foraging movements at this colony.

Thermal soaring over the North Sea and implications for wind farm interactions

Seabirds use several flight modes at sea, including thermal soaring, in which thermal uplift is used to gain altitude and save energy. An increase in flight altitude may have consequences for wind farm interactions if it results in birds spending more time within the rotor-swept zone (RSZ). To understand conditions under which thermal soaring occurs and potential implications for wind farm interactions, we investigated thermal soaring in relation to atmospheric conditions in June and July at 2 study areas in the North Sea, west and north of the Dutch coast. We developed algorithms that identified thermal soaring in GPS tracks of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus and radar tracks of seabirds. By combining species-specific 3-dimensional information on flight behaviour from bio-logging with the continuous spatiotemporal coverage of radar positioned at wind parks, we obtained a more comprehensive overview of thermal soaring at sea than either method would obtain alone. Our results showed that birds flew at higher altitudes during thermal soaring than non-soaring flight, increasing the proportion of flight time within the RSZ. Thermal soaring occurred inside offshore wind farms to a similar degree as outside. Thermal soaring was positively correlated with positive temperature differences (ΔT) between sea surface and air (at 2 m above sea level), and north and north-westerly winds. We show that the probability of thermal soaring over the North Sea, inside and outside wind farms, increases with larger temperature differences, resulting in increased time spent within the RSZ and an increased collision risk for seabirds.

Long-term impact on the breeding birds of a semi-offshore island-based wind farm in Åland, Northern Baltic Sea

Breeding bird populations were monitored at a wind farm in the Båtskär area of the southern Åland archipelago in 2006–2017. The area is situated in the outer archipelago and comprises four islands with six wind turbines in total. The wind turbines began operating in autumn 2007. An environmental impact assessment for the area was conducted in 2002. A control area called Stenarna, located 22 km NW of Båtskär, was used for comparison. The Båtskär area annually recorded 850–1,050 pairs of breeding birds. Four species showed significantly decreasing trends in Båtskär, namely the Common Eider Somateria mollissima, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus, Herring Gull L. argentatus , and Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle. In Stenarna, only the Common Eider significantly decreased over the same period. The Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea increased in both areas, while the Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca, Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator, Common Gull Larus canus, Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus, and White Wagtail Motacilla alba increased in Stenarna, the control area. The Herring Gull population decline is unlikely to be related to the wind farm. However, the proximity of a wind turbine to a breeding colony of the Lesser Black-backed Gull has most likely contributed to its decline. The reason for the Black Guillemot decline in Båtskär is unknown. The decline of Common Eider in both areas may be connected to increasing predation from White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. Some species, such as the House Martin Delichon urbicum and auks, have benefitted from the wind farm construction. They can utilize new microhabitats created by the construction, while other species, such as the Common Eider, gain protection against predation because of human activities.

Reproductive success of threatened northern Lesser Black Backed Gulls (Larus fuscus fuscus) in relation to nest predation by Ravens (Corvus corax)

Many seabird populations suffer heavily from the destruction of nests by generalist predators. In this study, we analyzed 16 years of data (2005–2020) on the reproductive output of the northern Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus) at Horsvær, the largest assemblage of this subspecies in Norway (up to ca. 400 pairs), in relation to the occurrence of breeding Ravens (Corvus corax). A pair of Ravens were firstly discovered at Horsvær in 2010, and between 2011 and 2016 they were observed with broods (2–5 fledglings) in most years. Between 2017 and 2020, human intervention prevented the Ravens from breeding in the colony. However, in 2020 a pair of Ravens brought their fledglings over from a neighboring island in the middle of the incubation period for the gulls. On average, the nest predation rate was 43% when Ravens had fledglings within the study area. In contrast, only 10% of nests were depredated in years when Ravens did not reproduce successfully or were absent. Moreover, only 0.07 fledglings were on average produced per nest in years when Ravens bred successfully, compared to 0.71 fledglings per nest in years with no Raven reproduction. A high level of nest predation led to a decline in the number of nesting gulls, which was not observed in a neighboring Raven-free colony. Finally, in years with high Raven predation at Horsvær, production of fledglings was still high in yet another nearby Lesser Black-backed Gull colony. The Ravens were established at Horsvær in the absence of people in the spring, and the only option to save these threatened gulls may be to prevent the Ravens from nesting successfully in or near their colonies.

Birds as Plastic Dispersers from Terrestrial to Aquatic Ecosystems: The Case of the Common Crane (Grus Grus) and the Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus Fuscus) in Temporary Lakes of Central Spain

Birds as Plastic Dispersers from Terrestrial to Aquatic Ecosystems: The Case of the Common Crane (Grus Grus) and the Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus Fuscus) in Temporary Lakes of Central Spain

Dispersal of aquatic invertebrates by lesser black-backed gulls and white storks within and between inland habitats

Waterbirds can transport aquatic invertebrates internally, contributing to metapopulation dynamics between aquatic habitats in a terrestrial matrix. However, research into this dispersal process to date has focused on individual field sites or laboratory studies. We investigated the invertebrates dispersed by endozoochory by the lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus wintering in Andalusia, south-west Spain in 2016–2017, comparing seven sites interconnected by their movements, with different degrees of anthropogenization [three landfills, two saltpan complexes, a natural lake, and a large (370 km2) ricefield area]. In the ricefields, we also compared invertebrates dispersed by gulls with those dispersed by the larger white stork Ciconia ciconia. A total of 642 intact invertebrates and their propagules (mainly plumatellid bryozoans, cladocerans, and other branchiopods) were recorded in excreta (faeces and pellets) from gulls and storks. A greater diversity and abundance of invertebrates were recorded in ricefields, notably 43 individuals of the alien snail Physella acuta. One snail was still alive in a gull pellet 3 weeks after being stored in a fridge. This represents the first record of snail dispersal within waterbird pellets. Viability was also confirmed for the cladoceran Macrothrix rosea recorded in ricefields, and the alien brine shrimp Artemia franciscana recorded mainly in saltpans. In ricefields, gulls and pellets had significantly fewer propagules and fewer taxa per gram of excreta than storks and faeces, respectively. Through their high mobility, gulls and storks can disperse invertebrates between different natural and artificial habitats, and even to landfills. They can promote metapopulation dynamics for native bryozoans and branchiopods, but also the spread of invasive snails and brine shrimp.

Predicting Source Populations of Vagrants Using Breeding Population Data: A Case Study of the Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Vagrancy is critical in facilitating range expansion and colonization through exploration and occupation of potentially suitable habitat. Uncovering origins of vagrants will help us better understand not only species-specific vagrant movements, but how the dynamics of a naturally growing population influence vagrancy, and potentially lead to range expansion. Under the premise that occurrence of vagrants is linked to increasing population growth in the core of the breeding range, we assessed the utility of breeding population survey data to predict source populations of vagrants. Lesser Black-backed Gulls (LBBG) (Larus fuscus) served as our focal species due to their dramatic and well-documented history of vagrancy to North America in the last 30 years. We related annual occurrence of vagrants to indices of breeding population size and growth rate of breeding populations. We propose that the fastest growing population is the most likely source of recent vagrants to North America. Our study shows that it is possible to predict potential source populations of vagrants with breeding population data, but breeding surveys require increased standardization across years to improve models. For the Lesser Black-backed Gull, Iceland’s breeding population likely influenced vagrancy during the early years of colonization, but the major increase in vagrants occurred during a period of growth of Greenland’s population, suggesting that Greenland is the source population of the most recent pulse of vagrant LBBG to North America.

Resource predictability drives interannual variation in migratory behavior in a long-lived bird

Abstract There is a growing awareness that experience may play a major role in migratory decisions, especially in long-lived species. However, empirical support remains to date scarce. Here, we use multiyear GPS-tracking data on 28 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus), a long-lived species for which migratory strategies typically consist of a series of long stopovers, to assess how experience affects interannual variation in stopover selection. We expect that food source reliability should play a pivotal role, as it both reduces the uncertainty on food availability across years, and enables for more efficient foraging during stopovers by reducing searching efforts. We found that during stopovers gulls indeed developed high fidelity to particular foraging locations, which strongly reduced the daily distance travelled for foraging. When revisiting stopovers in consecutive years, birds used over 80% of foraging locations from the previous year. Although the average fidelity to stopovers across years was a high as 85%, stopovers where birds showed high foraging site fidelity were up to 60% more likely to be revisited compared to stopover with low foraging site fidelity. Accordingly, birds using more stopovers with reliable foraging opportunities showed significantly less interannual variation in their stopover use than birds using stopovers with less reliable foraging opportunities. Our results thus highlight the need to further deepen our understanding of the role of cognitive processes in individual variation in migratory behavior.

GPS tracking reveals landfill closures induce higher foraging effort and habitat switching in gulls

BackgroundLandfills are a major subsidy for some animals, with implications for their life history and demography. Gulls feed extensively on food from landfills and closures are expected to have ecological consequences, but how this influences movement ecology is virtually unknown.MethodsWe used GPS-tracking to quantify foraging behaviour and habitat choice of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding at two colonies before and after closure of two nearby landfills.ResultsFollowing closure, gulls from both colonies travelled further and for longer to forage. Gulls also changed habitat selection, although this differed by colony - birds from one colony shifted to agricultural habitats, while at the other, increased their use of urban areas. These behavioural responses had no effect on adult body condition but hint at potential direct effects of higher foraging costs and indirect impacts by shifting to new habitats.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate how landfill availability influences gull foraging movements and habitat selection. We also emphasize the value of biologging to detect rapid behavioural responses in contrast to more conventional demographic approaches, which is especially important for animals that spend the majority of their lives away from direct observation.

Weather- and human-related shifts in feeding conditions promote the use of built-up areas by an avian opportunist

Human activities benefit a range of animal species, the resulting presence of which in cities can have negative societal consequences. One example are food subsidies, which buffer natural variation in food availability and allow these species to maintain larger populations. These buffers will likely gain importance under future environmental change whereby natural food sources become decreasingly available. To inform on the current importance of different habitats for a bird reliant on human-made food subsidies (Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus), and its possible population response toward changes in climate and the availability of these subsidies, we characterized population-level short-term responses to variation in drivers of local food availability, both natural (weather related) and anthropogenic (fisheries activity). We expected foraging effort to vary in relation to local wind speed and soil moisture, as well as to the alternation of fisheries activity between weekdays and weekends. Individuals were predicted to adjust their foraging habitat use in response to these environmentally driven variations in effort. To this end, we analyzed GPS tracking data of 45 breeding individuals, between 2013 and 2018, nesting in the Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium. Effort was approximated as the energy expenditure rate per trip, the daily time spent away from the colony and the trip frequency, which were analyzed by means of linear mixed effects models. Habitat use per trip was compared between marine, agricultural fields and built-up areas (cities, industry and cattle farms), in a multinomial logistic model. Marine areas and agricultural fields were most frequently exploited, but all considered stressors (wind, dry conditions and inactivity of fisheries) resulted in a higher use of built-up areas. Stronger winds increased the energetic cost of foraging at sea, and thus diminished the use of marine areas, as also did the inactivity of fisheries in weekends. Dry conditions diminished the use of fields and decreased trip frequency. Built-up areas thus constitute a buffer for the variation in food availability at sea and in agricultural fields. The expected increase in frequency and severity of extreme weather events (storms and drought) under global change, combined with the disappearance of discards, may therefore result in a long-term increase in the use of urban habitats by opportunistic large Gull species.

Simultaneous GPS-tracking of parents reveals a similar parental investment within pairs, but no immediate co-adjustment on a trip-to-trip basis

BackgroundParental care benefits the offspring, but comes at a cost for each parent, which in biparental species gives rise to a conflict between partners regarding the within-pair distribution of care. Pair members could avoid exploitation by efficiently keeping track of each other’s efforts and coordinating their efforts. Parents may, therefore, space their presence at the nest, which could also allow for permanent protection of the offspring. Additionally, they may respond to their partner’s previous investment by co-adjusting their efforts on a trip-to-trip basis, resulting in overall similar parental activities within pairs.MethodsWe investigated the coordination of parental care measured as nest attendance and foraging effort in the Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus), a species with long nest bouts that performs extended foraging trips out of sight of their partner. This was achieved by GPS-tracking both pair members simultaneously during the entire chick rearing period.ResultsWe found that the timing of foraging trips (and hence nest attendance) was coordinated within gull pairs, as individuals left the colony only after their partner had returned. Parents did not match their partner’s investment by actively co-adjusting their foraging efforts on a trip-by-trip basis. Yet, pair members were similar in their temporal and energetic investments during chick rearing.ConclusionBalanced investment levels over a longer time frame suggest that a coordination of effort may not require permanent co-adjustment of the levels of care on a trip-to-trip basis, but may instead rather take place at an earlier stage in the reproductive attempt, or over integrated longer time intervals. Identifying the drivers and underlying processes of coordination will be one of the next necessary steps to fully understand parental cooperation in long-lived species.