Wintering of the Audouin's Gull, Larus audouinii, in the Columbretes islands.

Full article

Published:

Volume 44(2), December 1997. Pages 183-189.

Language:

Spanish

Original title:

Invernada de la Gaviota de Audouin, Larus audouinii, en las Islas Columbretes.

Keywords:

Audouin's Gull, Columbretes Islands, counts, fisheries, Larus audouinii, wintering.

Abstract:

Since 1992 periodical counts of Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii), have been carried out, out of the breeding season, in the Columbretes Islands Natural Reserve (Castellón, E Spain). These censuses revealed that, unlike in other colonies (Ebro Delta, Baleares Islands, Chafarinas Islands), a large number of birds stayed in the Columbretes throughout late autumn and winter (November-February), with maximum counts of up to 2.600 birds.Through identification of marked birds with engraved darvic rings, the age and origin of the wintering birds were determined: they were mostly adults (>3 years, 91.7%), born in the Ebro Delta (67.9%) and in the Columbretes Islands (31.4%). Comparing these results with winter counts of the species along the coast of the Valencia Region and other localities within the Spanish Mediterranean, the reason for wintering concentrations in certain places of the coast is discussed, along with the relationship of the gull presence and the fishery activities around the Columbretes Archipelago.