Larus fuscus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	LARIDAE

Scientific Name:

Larus fuscus

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English	–	Lesser Black-backed Gull
French	–	Goéland brun

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Nisbet, I.

Justification:
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Lesser Black-backed Gull breeds from the central-north of Russia, around Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and northern United Kingdom to Iceland. It also breeds year-round on the coast of Portugal, southern Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, and one seasonally breeding population is found in north-east Spain. Seasonal breeders disperse widely, expanding its range to include the entire North Sea coast, much of the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caspian Sea coasts, the northern and eastern coasts of Africa (including rivers inland), and around the Arabian Peninsula to north-west India¹.
Countries:	Native: Albania; Algeria; Angola; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Austria; Bahrain; Barbados; Belarus; Belgium; Benin; Bermuda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Canada; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; Comoros; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Egypt; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; French Guiana; Gabon; Gambia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Guadeloupe; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Hungary; Iceland; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jordan; Kenya; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Latvia; Lebanon; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malawi; Mali; Malta; Martinique; Mauritania; Mayotte; Mexico; Mongolia; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Mozambique; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; Niger; Nigeria; Norway; Oman; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sudan; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uzbekistan; Venezuela; Western Sahara; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe Vagrant: Afghanistan; Argentina; Bahamas; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Georgia; Kazakhstan; Luxembourg; Namibia; Panama; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Seychelles; Sri Lanka; Virgin Islands, U.S. Present - origin uncertain: Australia; Equatorial Guinea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory¹ and travel in leapfrog-like stages¹, using many stopovers en-route². The Autumn migration is started by the non-breeding birds in late-June, the breeding birds following from late-July to September². The return migration takes place between February and late-June¹, with the species arriving at breeding colonies from March onwards, and breeding from May or late-April to mid-June¹. It breeds colonially^{4, 5}, often with other gull species (especially Herring Gull Larus argentatus)⁵, in colonies ranging in size from a few pairs⁶ to several tens of thousands⁴. Outside of the breeding season the species remains gregarious, normally migrating singly or in small groups of less than 10⁷, and often feeding in flocks of hundreds of individuals on rubbish dumps or over shoals of fish at sea^{6, 7}. It may also feed singly or in small groups⁷. In its African wintering grounds the species may roost communally during the day on salt or fresh waterbodies^{7, 11}. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on coastal grassy slopes (flat and unbroken)⁴, sand-dunes^{4, 5}, cliffs^{1, 4, 5}, rocky offshore islands^{1, 5}, saltmarshes⁵, and on inland habitats such as the margins of lakes^{2, 4}, high moorland^{4, 5}, and islands in lakes and rivers² . It shows a preference for well vegetated sites, with fairly close, short vegetation^{6, 4}, and may forage on arable land, pasture land⁴, and on refuse dumps^{1, 4}. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species chiefly inhabits inshore and offshore seas⁶, as well as lagoons, estuaries, harbours and seashores in the tropics⁶. It may also frequent inland habitats during this season, such as large lakes and rivers⁷, in England preferring flooded gravel pits and reservoirs, canals, river weirs, flood-lands and sewage treatment areas⁶. As in the breeding season it is often seen foraging on arable land, pasture land⁴, and on refuse dumps^{1, 4}. Diet The species is an omnivorous, opportunistic feeder³ that forages extensively at sea. Its diet consists of small fish (especially Baltic herring Clupea harengus)¹, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates (e.g. beetles, flies and larvae, ants, moths⁷, grasshoppers², crustaceans, molluscs, segmented worms and starfish⁷), bird eggs and nestlings, carrion, offal¹, rodents, berries¹ and grain⁷. It often follows fishing fleets, feeding on discarded bycatch³. Breeding site The nest can be anything between a heap of grass, seaweed⁴, lichen, feathers (or other local materials)¹, and a simple sparsely-lined scrape⁴, that is usually positioned on open ground on a flat rock or a bare peat hag⁵. The species breeds in colonies, showing a preference for level-ground^{1, 9} that is well covered with fairly close, short vegetation^{5. 6}, often nesting under heather, bracken or other vegetation⁴ (sometimes under pine trees)¹. Suitable sites include flat, unbroken grassy slopes⁴, sand-dunes,the tops and ledges of coastal cliffs^{4, 5}, rocky offshore islands^{1, 5}, saltmarshes⁵, the margins of inland lakes^{2, 4}, islands in lakes and rivers², and high moorland^{4, 5}, although the species will also nest on buildings and rooftops¹.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory¹ and travel in leapfrog-like stages¹, using many stopovers en-route². The Autumn migration is started by the non-breeding birds in late-June, the breeding birds following from late-July to September². The return migration takes place between February and late-June¹, with the species arriving at breeding colonies from March onwards, and breeding from May or late-April to mid-June¹. It breeds colonially^{4, 5}, often with other gull species (especially Herring Gull Larus argentatus)⁵, in colonies ranging in size from a few pairs⁶ to several tens of thousands⁴. Outside of the breeding season the species remains gregarious, normally migrating singly or in small groups of less than 10⁷, and often feeding in flocks of hundreds of individuals on rubbish dumps or over shoals of fish at sea^{6, 7}. It may also feed singly or in small groups⁷. In its African wintering grounds the species may roost communally during the day on salt or fresh waterbodies^{7, 11}. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on coastal grassy slopes (flat and unbroken)⁴, sand-dunes^{4, 5}, cliffs^{1, 4, 5}, rocky offshore islands^{1, 5}, saltmarshes⁵, and on inland habitats such as the margins of lakes^{2, 4}, high moorland^{4, 5}, and islands in lakes and rivers² . It shows a preference for well vegetated sites, with fairly close, short vegetation^{6, 4}, and may forage on arable land, pasture land⁴, and on refuse dumps^{1, 4}. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species chiefly inhabits inshore and offshore seas⁶, as well as lagoons, estuaries, harbours and seashores in the tropics⁶. It may also frequent inland habitats during this season, such as large lakes and rivers⁷, in England preferring flooded gravel pits and reservoirs, canals, river weirs, flood-lands and sewage treatment areas⁶. As in the breeding season it is often seen foraging on arable land, pasture land⁴, and on refuse dumps^{1, 4}. Diet The species is an omnivorous, opportunistic feeder³ that forages extensively at sea. Its diet consists of small fish (especially Baltic herring Clupea harengus)¹, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates (e.g. beetles, flies and larvae, ants, moths⁷, grasshoppers², crustaceans, molluscs, segmented worms and starfish⁷), bird eggs and nestlings, carrion, offal¹, rodents, berries¹ and grain⁷. It often follows fishing fleets, feeding on discarded bycatch³. Breeding site The nest can be anything between a heap of grass, seaweed⁴, lichen, feathers (or other local materials)¹, and a simple sparsely-lined scrape⁴, that is usually positioned on open ground on a flat rock or a bare peat hag⁵. The species breeds in colonies, showing a preference for level-ground^{1, 9} that is well covered with fairly close, short vegetation^{5. 6}, often nesting under heather, bracken or other vegetation⁴ (sometimes under pine trees)¹. Suitable sites include flat, unbroken grassy slopes⁴, sand-dunes,the tops and ledges of coastal cliffs^{4, 5}, rocky offshore islands^{1, 5}, saltmarshes⁵, the margins of inland lakes^{2, 4}, islands in lakes and rivers², and high moorland^{4, 5}, although the species will also nest on buildings and rooftops¹.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Some populations of this species have significantly declined due to decreasing food availability caused by competition and predation from Larus argentatus and Larus marinus^{1, 2, 8} and by changes in fishing and refuse disposal practices^{2, 5} (e.g. closure of landfill sites and the covering of waste)^{1, 2, 5, 8}. Population declines may also have been aided by poisoning from organochloride pollution¹¹. Contamination from pesticides is no longer considered a likely threat¹³. Colonies have been culled in Britain and Ireland in order to "protect" other breeding seabirds (e.g. terns) from predation and competition⁵. The species is exploited on its African wintering grounds¹, is hunted unsustainably in Denmark¹², and is threatened by egg-collecting and general human disturbance on the Iberian Peninsula⁸. Human disturbance occurs at wintering sites, caused by local people checking snare traps set to catch other species¹⁰. The species is susceptible to avian botulism, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of this disease⁵.

Major Threat(s):

Some populations of this species have significantly declined due to decreasing food availability caused by competition and predation from Larus argentatus and Larus marinus^{1, 2, 8} and by changes in fishing and refuse disposal practices^{2, 5} (e.g. closure of landfill sites and the covering of waste)^{1, 2, 5, 8}. Population declines may also have been aided by poisoning from organochloride pollution¹¹. Contamination from pesticides is no longer considered a likely threat¹³. Colonies have been culled in Britain and Ireland in order to "protect" other breeding seabirds (e.g. terns) from predation and competition⁵. The species is exploited on its African wintering grounds¹, is hunted unsustainably in Denmark¹², and is threatened by egg-collecting and general human disturbance on the Iberian Peninsula⁸. Human disturbance occurs at wintering sites, caused by local people checking snare traps set to catch other species¹⁰. The species is susceptible to avian botulism, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of this disease⁵.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Larus fuscus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 February 2012.
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