Scott Mayson

Breeds scattered within the Mediterranean. Overwinters within the Mediterranean and W Africa (up to Senegambia) (BirdLife International 2021). Migratory (Olsen & Larsson 2004), though an increasing number of birds are resident due to the occurrence of abundant and predictable food in some places (Oro & Martínez-Abraín 2009).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		31400-42000,36300
Red List categoryVU
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Audouin's Gull

SW European population migrates to the Atlantic coasts of Africa up to Senegambia; some recoveries in C Mediterranean. Inland recoveries exceptional. Overall, this populations spends the winter from S Iberia to Senegambia (Bécares et al. 2016). Many recoveries from summer to summer reveal remarkable exchange among colony sites (e.g. from E Spain to Italy. SC birds also tend to move S/SW up to W Africa; some recoveries in Israel. Tracking data confirm such main patterns. Again, many recoveries from summer to summer show high breeding/natal dispersal rates. This dispersal is not sex-biased and is more frequent with decreasing food availability, and in less experienced breeders (Oro et al. 1999). Recoveries from SE limited, movements restricted to E and C Mediterranean.

Recoveries by Condition for Audouin's Gull

A higher majority (97%) of the recoveries are due to birds seen alive, mostly identified with leg ring(s). Shooting is marginal in this species, in part due to the fact that the species was critically threatened in former times. Ringing effort with PVC ring(s) has been absolutely useful for the understanding of species spatial ecology and to identify key non-breeding quarters (Bécares et al. 2016).

Annual Movements for Audouin's Gull

Ring-recovery data are abundant and allow a good comprehension of the migration and main spatial use of the species, though remote-tracking provides complementary data, especially for a better understanding of spatial ecology in/around breeding quarters (Bécares et al. 2016). Breeding grounds left as early as Jul. Arrival to winter quarters from Aug to even Jan-Feb (Bécares et al. 2016). Spring migration is fast, mostly from Mar to Apr.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Audouin's Gull

Similar temporal patterns between regions, so see ‘Annual movements’.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Bécares, J.; Arcos, J. M., Oro, D.2016 . Migración y ecología espacial de la gaviota de Audouin en el Mediterráneo occidental y noroeste africano. Monografía n.º 1 del programa Migra. SEO/BirdLife, Madrid
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Larus audouiini.
Olsen, K. M., Larsson, H.2004 . Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm Identification Guides, London
Oro, D., Martínez-Abraín, A.2009 . Ecology and behaviour of seabirds. In: Marine Ecology. Duarte, C. M., Helgueras, A. L. (Eds.). EOLSS/UNESCO, Singapore
Oro, D., Pradel, R., Lebreton, J.-D.1999 . Food availability and nest predation influence life history traits in Audouin's gull, Larus audouinii. Oecologia 118: 438–445

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