Larus ridibundus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Charadriiformes	Laridae

Scientific Name:

Larus ridibundus

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1766

Common Name/s:

English	–	Black-headed Gull, Common Black-headed Gull
French	–	Mouette Rieuse

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2009

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.(BirdLife International)

Justification:
This species has an extremely 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). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely 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
2000	–	Lower Risk/least concern
1994	–	Lower Risk/least concern
1988	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Armenia; Aruba; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belarus; Belgium; Benin; Bermuda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Canada; Cape Verde; China; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Egypt; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; French Guiana; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Guadeloupe; Guam; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malaysia; Mali; Malta; Martinique; Mauritania; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; Niger; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Suriname; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam; Virgin Islands, U.S.; Western Sahara; Yemen Vagrant: Angola; Australia; Bahamas; Botswana; Brunei Darussalam; Burundi; Cameroon; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cuba; Grenada; Guinea; Liberia; Maldives; Papua New Guinea; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Turks and Caicos Islands; Zimbabwe

Countries:

Native:

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Armenia; Aruba; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belarus; Belgium; Benin; Bermuda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Canada; Cape Verde; China; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Egypt; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; French Guiana; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Guadeloupe; Guam; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malaysia; Mali; Malta; Martinique; Mauritania; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; Niger; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Suriname; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam; Virgin Islands, U.S.; Western Sahara; Yemen

Vagrant:

Angola; Australia; Bahamas; Botswana; Brunei Darussalam; Burundi; Cameroon; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cuba; Grenada; Guinea; Liberia; Maldives; Papua New Guinea; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Turks and Caicos Islands; Zimbabwe

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Northern breeding populations of this species are strongly migratory although populations at lower latitudes tend to be sedentary or locally dispersive¹. The species breeds between April and May¹ in dense colonies of up to several thousand pairs^{1, 4} often with other gull or tern species³. It generally remains gregarious throughout the year⁴ and may roost in large flocks during the winter². Habitat Breeding The species chiefly breeds inland and shows a preference for shallow, calm⁴, temporarily flooded wetland habitats¹ with lush vegetation^{1, 3}. It forms nesting colonies on the margins of lakes^{1, 2, 3}, lagoons^{3, 4}, slow-flowing rivers, deltas, estuaries⁴ and on tussocky marshes^{1, 2, 3}, but may also nest on the upper zones of saltmarshes^{1, 4}, coastal dunes and offshore islands in more coastal areas¹. The species will also utilise artificial sites such as sewage ponds, gravel- and clay-pits, ponds, canals and floodlands⁴ and may nest on the dry ground of heather moors, sand-dunes, beaches^{1, 4} and stony islets⁴. Non-breeding During the winter the species is most common in coastal habitats¹ and tidal inshore waters, showing a preference for inlets or estuaries with sandy or muddy beaches, and generally avoiding rocky or exposed coastlines⁴. It may also occur inland during this season, frequenting ploughed fields, moist grasslands, urban parks, sewage farms, refuse tips, reservoirs, ponds and ornamental waters⁴, and roosts on sandy and gravel sites or on inland reservoirs². Diet Its diet consists predominantly of aquatic and terrestrial insects, earthworms and marine invertebrates (e.g. molluscs, crustaceans and marine worms)¹ although it may also take fish¹ (usually dead or sick)³, rodents (e.g. voles)³ and agricultural grain¹. During the non-breeding season the species may rely heavily on artificial food sources provided by man, especially in Western Europe¹, and often scavenges from refuse tips during this period². Breeding site The nest is a rough construction of vegetation² based on a shallow scrape⁴ and placed on a floating mat, in broken reeds, on a hummock, or sometimes on dry, grassy or sandy ground^{1, 3}. The species shows a strong preference for nesting near vegetation (although vegetation overgrowth can lead to the desertion of colony sites)¹. It usually nests in dense colonies with neighbouring nests placed an average of 1 m apart¹.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Northern breeding populations of this species are strongly migratory although populations at lower latitudes tend to be sedentary or locally dispersive¹. The species breeds between April and May¹ in dense colonies of up to several thousand pairs^{1, 4} often with other gull or tern species³. It generally remains gregarious throughout the year⁴ and may roost in large flocks during the winter². Habitat Breeding The species chiefly breeds inland and shows a preference for shallow, calm⁴, temporarily flooded wetland habitats¹ with lush vegetation^{1, 3}. It forms nesting colonies on the margins of lakes^{1, 2, 3}, lagoons^{3, 4}, slow-flowing rivers, deltas, estuaries⁴ and on tussocky marshes^{1, 2, 3}, but may also nest on the upper zones of saltmarshes^{1, 4}, coastal dunes and offshore islands in more coastal areas¹. The species will also utilise artificial sites such as sewage ponds, gravel- and clay-pits, ponds, canals and floodlands⁴ and may nest on the dry ground of heather moors, sand-dunes, beaches^{1, 4} and stony islets⁴. Non-breeding During the winter the species is most common in coastal habitats¹ and tidal inshore waters, showing a preference for inlets or estuaries with sandy or muddy beaches, and generally avoiding rocky or exposed coastlines⁴. It may also occur inland during this season, frequenting ploughed fields, moist grasslands, urban parks, sewage farms, refuse tips, reservoirs, ponds and ornamental waters⁴, and roosts on sandy and gravel sites or on inland reservoirs². Diet Its diet consists predominantly of aquatic and terrestrial insects, earthworms and marine invertebrates (e.g. molluscs, crustaceans and marine worms)¹ although it may also take fish¹ (usually dead or sick)³, rodents (e.g. voles)³ and agricultural grain¹. During the non-breeding season the species may rely heavily on artificial food sources provided by man, especially in Western Europe¹, and often scavenges from refuse tips during this period². Breeding site The nest is a rough construction of vegetation² based on a shallow scrape⁴ and placed on a floating mat, in broken reeds, on a hummock, or sometimes on dry, grassy or sandy ground^{1, 3}. The species shows a strong preference for nesting near vegetation (although vegetation overgrowth can lead to the desertion of colony sites)¹. It usually nests in dense colonies with neighbouring nests placed an average of 1 m apart¹.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species is susceptible to avian influenza⁵ and avian botulism so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases⁶. It may also be threatened by future coastal oil spills⁷ and has suffered local population declines in the past as a result of egg collecting¹. In some areas of its breeding range the species may also suffer from reduced reproductive successes due to contamination with chemical pollutants¹.

Major Threat(s):

The species is susceptible to avian influenza⁵ and avian botulism so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases⁶. It may also be threatened by future coastal oil spills⁷ and has suffered local population declines in the past as a result of egg collecting¹. In some areas of its breeding range the species may also suffer from reduced reproductive successes due to contamination with chemical pollutants¹.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Larus ridibundus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2009.
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