Larus melanocephalus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	LARIDAE

Scientific Name:

Larus melanocephalus

Species Authority:

Temminck, 1820

Common Name/s:

English	–	Mediterranean Gull
French	–	Mouette mélanocéphale

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

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 stable, 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 Meditteranean Gull breeds almost entirely in Europe, mainly on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine, with a recent spread to the northern Caucasian Plains and Azerbaijan. It also breeds at scattered localities throughout Europe, including the Netherlands, southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, southern England, Belgium, Germany and Spain. It winters in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, north-west Europe and north-west Africa¹.
Countries:	Native: Albania; Algeria; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Egypt; France; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Hungary; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Mauritania; Montenegro; Morocco; Netherlands; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Finland; Gambia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kuwait; Latvia; Norway; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Sudan; United Arab Emirates Present - origin uncertain: Iraq; Monaco; Western Sahara
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 migratory and travel along coastlines between their breeding and wintering areas^{1, 2} (although a minority travel inland across Asian Turkey or follow major river valleys through Eastern and central Europe)³. The species returns to its breeding colonies from late-February² to early-April, with most beginning to breed from early-May¹. The Autumn migration to the wintering grounds occurs from late-June onwards². The species breeds in colonies, usually of less than 1,000 pairs and occasionally in single pairs amidst colonies of other species¹. It often breeds near but not among Sandwich Terns Thalasseus sandvicensis, or intermingling with Larus ridibundus¹. When breeding in coastal areas the species may fly up to 80 km away from the colony to feed on inland grassland¹. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on the Mediterranean coast at lagoons¹, estuaries^{1, 3} and sometimes coastal saltmarsh¹, often also breeding inland on large steppe lakes and marshes in open lowland areas^{1, 3}. It nests near water on flood-lands, fields and grasslands^{1, 3} and on wet or dry areas of islands³, favouring sparse vegetation but generally avoiding barren sand¹. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species becomes entirely coastal¹, favouring estuaries^{1, 4}, harbours¹, saline lagoons and other sheltered waters⁴. Diet Breeding During the breeding season its diet consists of terrestrial and aquatic insects, gastropods, small numbers of fish and rodents¹. Non-breeding When not breeding the species takes marine fish, molluscs^{1, 4}, insects⁴ (e.g. beetles and grasshoppers)⁷, earthworms, berries⁴, seeds (e.g. of barley, wheat, sunflowers and ragwort)⁷, offal¹ and occasionally sewage and refuse¹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression, situated on the ground in sparsely vegetated sites, thickets or reedbeds¹ near water³. The species breeds in dense colonies, with neighbouring pairs c.60 cm apart¹. Management information Artificially constructed nesting sites in coastal locations such as beaches of bare shingle and islands or rafts covered with sparse vegetation are successful in attracting breeding pairs of this species⁶. A conservation scheme for the protection of gull and tern breeding colonies in coastal lagoons and deltas (e.g. Po Delta, Italy) involves protection from human disturbance, prevention of erosion of islet complexes, habitat maintenance and the creation of new islets for nest sites⁸. The scheme particularly specifies that bare islets with 30-100 % cover of low vegetation (sward heights less than 20 cm) should be maintained or created as nesting sites⁸.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory and travel along coastlines between their breeding and wintering areas^{1, 2} (although a minority travel inland across Asian Turkey or follow major river valleys through Eastern and central Europe)³. The species returns to its breeding colonies from late-February² to early-April, with most beginning to breed from early-May¹. The Autumn migration to the wintering grounds occurs from late-June onwards². The species breeds in colonies, usually of less than 1,000 pairs and occasionally in single pairs amidst colonies of other species¹. It often breeds near but not among Sandwich Terns Thalasseus sandvicensis, or intermingling with Larus ridibundus¹. When breeding in coastal areas the species may fly up to 80 km away from the colony to feed on inland grassland¹. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on the Mediterranean coast at lagoons¹, estuaries^{1, 3} and sometimes coastal saltmarsh¹, often also breeding inland on large steppe lakes and marshes in open lowland areas^{1, 3}. It nests near water on flood-lands, fields and grasslands^{1, 3} and on wet or dry areas of islands³, favouring sparse vegetation but generally avoiding barren sand¹. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species becomes entirely coastal¹, favouring estuaries^{1, 4}, harbours¹, saline lagoons and other sheltered waters⁴. Diet Breeding During the breeding season its diet consists of terrestrial and aquatic insects, gastropods, small numbers of fish and rodents¹. Non-breeding When not breeding the species takes marine fish, molluscs^{1, 4}, insects⁴ (e.g. beetles and grasshoppers)⁷, earthworms, berries⁴, seeds (e.g. of barley, wheat, sunflowers and ragwort)⁷, offal¹ and occasionally sewage and refuse¹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression, situated on the ground in sparsely vegetated sites, thickets or reedbeds¹ near water³. The species breeds in dense colonies, with neighbouring pairs c.60 cm apart¹. Management information Artificially constructed nesting sites in coastal locations such as beaches of bare shingle and islands or rafts covered with sparse vegetation are successful in attracting breeding pairs of this species⁶. A conservation scheme for the protection of gull and tern breeding colonies in coastal lagoons and deltas (e.g. Po Delta, Italy) involves protection from human disturbance, prevention of erosion of islet complexes, habitat maintenance and the creation of new islets for nest sites⁸. The scheme particularly specifies that bare islets with 30-100 % cover of low vegetation (sward heights less than 20 cm) should be maintained or created as nesting sites⁸.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species sustains heavy losses as a result of tourist disturbance at breeding colonies^{1, 5}. The species may also be threatened by habitat loss resulting from tourism development, and by marine pollution (e.g. oil spills and chemical discharges)⁵. Utilisation Eggs and adults are collected from breeding colonies by fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea⁵.

Major Threat(s):

This species sustains heavy losses as a result of tourist disturbance at breeding colonies^{1, 5}. The species may also be threatened by habitat loss resulting from tourism development, and by marine pollution (e.g. oil spills and chemical discharges)⁵. Utilisation Eggs and adults are collected from breeding colonies by fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea⁵.

Bibliography [top]

	Burgess, N. D.; Hirons, J. M. 1992. Creation and management of articficial nesting sites for wetland birds. Journal of Environmental Management 34(4): 285-295. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Fasola, M.; Canova, L. 1996. Conservation of gull and tern colony sites in north-eastern Italy, an internationally important bird area. Colonial Waterbirds 19: 59-67. James, P. C. 1984. The status and conservation of seabirds in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Croxall, J.P.; Evans, P.G.H.; Schreiber, R.W. (ed.), Status and conservation of the world's seabirds, pp. 371-375. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K. Milchev, B.; Kodjabashev, N.; Sivkov, Y.; Chobanov, D. 2004. Post-breeding season diet of the Mediterranean gull Larus melanocephalus at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Atlantic Seabirds 6(2): 65-78. Olsen, K. M.; Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Burgess, N. D.; Hirons, J. M. 1992. Creation and management of articficial nesting sites for wetland birds. Journal of Environmental Management 34(4): 285-295.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Fasola, M.; Canova, L. 1996. Conservation of gull and tern colony sites in north-eastern Italy, an internationally important bird area. Colonial Waterbirds 19: 59-67.

James, P. C. 1984. The status and conservation of seabirds in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Croxall, J.P.; Evans, P.G.H.; Schreiber, R.W. (ed.), Status and conservation of the world's seabirds, pp. 371-375. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K.

Milchev, B.; Kodjabashev, N.; Sivkov, Y.; Chobanov, D. 2004. Post-breeding season diet of the Mediterranean gull Larus melanocephalus at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Atlantic Seabirds 6(2): 65-78.

Olsen, K. M.; Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London.

Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Larus melanocephalus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided