Larus canus -- Linnaeus, 1758 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- LARIDAE Common names: Mew Gull; Common Gull; Goéland cendré Assessment Information European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) European Red List Assessment Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Tarzia, M., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) In Europe this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). 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). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe. Within the EU27 this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). 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). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Faroe Islands (to DK); Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Gibraltar (to UK) Vagrant: Greenland (to DK); Liechtenstein; Malta The European population is estimated at 640,000-1,080,000 pairs, which equates to 1,280,000-2,160,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 262,000-352,000 pairs, which equates to 525,000-705,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Population Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 29.4 years (three generations). In the EU27 the population size is estimated to be stable. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology Populations in Iceland, and around the North and Baltic seas are generally year-round residents, while other populations migrate between breeding and wintering grounds (Burger and Gochfeld 2014). During the winter
the species expands its range to the North East Atlantic coasts of France and Portugal, the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, and the entire coasts of the Black Sea (Burger and Gochfeld 2014). Within Europe it inhabits coasts, tidal estuaries, agricultural land, reservoirs and breeds on coastal cliffs and islands, in beaches, bogs, marshes and meadows. It feeds on earthworms, insects, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, small fish and grain (in spring). It occasionally kills birds and small mammals (Burger and Gochfeld 2014). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over ha) suitable breeding Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over ha) suitable non-breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable non-breeding Grassland - Temperate suitable breeding Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Tidepools suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Tidepools suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Pelagic marginal resident Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding Altitude max. 1400 m Occasional altitudinal limits Threats In its breeding grounds the species is threatened by predation from introduced ground predators such as American Mink (Neovison vison) (Bukacińska and Bukacińska 2003), and by disturbance from tourism, angling and research activities during the laying period (Bukacińska and Bukacińska 2003). Inland populations breeding in colonies near rivers are also vulnerable to mass outbreaks of Black Flies (Simuliidae) (Bukacińska and Bukacinska 2003). The species is also threatened by the transformation and loss of its breeding habitats through land reclamation, drainage, afforestation (e.g., with conifers) and dam construction (Bukacińska and Bukacińska 2003). In its wintering range the species is potentially threatened by the activities of fisheries (e.g., reductions in fishing effort, increases in net mesh sizes and exploitation of formerly non-commercial fish species) and their effects on competition for prey resources (Bukacińska and v 2003). Other threats to wintering sites include land reclamation and drainage (Bukacińska and Bukacińska 2003). Eggs are collected from colonies in Germany, Scotland, and Poland (Bukacińska and Bukacińska 2003).
Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Biological resource use Biological resource use Energy production & mining Human intrusions & disturbance Human intrusions & disturbance Natural system modifications Pollution Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources (unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]) Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals (intentional use - species is the target) Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown Renewable energy Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown Recreational activities Work & other activities American Mink (Neovison vison) Unspecified blackflies (SIMULIIDAE) Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown Species disturbance Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown Species disturbance Unspecified species Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact Unspecified species Other ecosystem modifications Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects Industrial & military effluents (type Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown unknown/ unrecorded) Ecosystem degradation Conservation Conservation Actions Underway The species is listed under the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement. In the EU it is listed on Annex II of the Bird s Directive. 83 Important Bird Areas have been identified for the species across the European region. In the EU it is listed in 381 Special Protection Areas.
Conservation Actions Proposed Continued invasive predator eradication programmes at breeding sites; monitoring of egg collection activities to ensure sustainability. Management of existing protecting sites and Important Bird Areas to reduce habitat degradation and conversion. On board fisheries observer programmes to monitor levels of fisheries bycatch. Bibliography Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Kirwan, G.M. & Christie, D.A. (2013). Mew Gull (Larus canus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) (2013). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Bukacinski, D.; Bukacinska, M. 2003. Larus canus Common Gull. Birds of the Western Palearctic Update 5(1): 13-47. Map (see overleaf)