Larus genei -- Brème, 1839 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- LARIDAE Common names: Slender-billed Gull; Goéland railleur 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 a very 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, although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to 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 increasing, 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; Bulgaria; Cyprus; France; Greece; Italy; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Romania; Russian Federation; Spain; Turkey; Ukraine Origin Uncertain: Croatia Vagrant: Belarus; Germany; Montenegro; Poland; Portugal; Serbia; Slovenia; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Gibraltar (to UK) Population The European population is estimated at 35,900-57,300 pairs, which equates to 71,700-115,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 5,000-7,000 pairs, which equates to 10,000-14,100 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 31.5 years (three generations). In the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Within Europe this species occurs along the south and east of the Iberian Peninsula, through the Habitats and Ecology
Mediterranean and Black Sea. The species breeds on sand-spits, beaches (Burger and Gochfeld 1996) and islands with mudflats and marshes in shallow tidal waters (Richards 1990, Snow and Perrins 1998), and on saline inland seas (Olsen and Larsson 2003). It may also frequent meadows and moist grassland by tidal inlets (Snow and Perrins 1998), and brackish or freshwater lagoons or marshes near river deltas during this season (Richards 1990, Burger and Gochfeld 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). The species is almost entirely coastal outside of the breeding season, frequenting shallow inshore waters and salt-pans, although it generally avoids harbours (Burger and Gochfeld 1996). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Aquatic - Salt Exploitation Sites suitable non-breeding Grassland - Temperate suitable breeding Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable breeding Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Freshwater Lakes suitable breeding Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Tidepools suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud major non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats Eggs and chicks of this species are preyed upon by Larus cachinnans and Larus melanocephalus (especially where colonies are frequently disturbed by humans) (Burger and Gochfeld 1996), and storms or cold weather may threaten breeding colonies by causing nest flooding and chick mortality (Burger and Gochfeld 1996). The species is threatened by pollution from oil (Cooper et al. 1984, James 1984, Burger and Gochfeld 1996) and plastic waste, and is exploited by local people (subsistence egg collecting) in the Mediterranean (James 1984). It also suffers from disturbance caused by local people and tourists casually visiting breeding colonies, and by habitat loss resulting from tourism development (James 1984). The species is susceptible to avian influenza, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus (Gaidet et al. 2007). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Biological resource Hunting & trapping use terrestrial animals Ongoing Minority (<50%) Causing/Could Low Impact (intentional use - species is the target) Energy production Mining & quarrying & mining Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown Indirect ecosystem effects Energy production & mining Renewable energy Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown
Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Human intrusions & Recreational disturbance activities Species disturbance Avian Influenza Virus (H subtype) Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) Past, Unlikely to Unknown Causing/Could Past Impact Return Ongoing Low Impact Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) Ongoing Low Impact Natural system modifications Pollution Unspecified species Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact Other ecosystem modifications Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact Garbage & solid waste Ecosystem degradation; Pollution Industrial & military effluents (type unknown/ unrecorded) Ecosystem degradation Pollution Oil spills Residential & commercial development Residential & commercial development Commercial & industrial areas Housing & urban areas Past, Likely to Return Unknown Unknown No/Negligible Impact Ecosystem degradation; Conservation Conservation Actions Underway Listed on Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species and listed under the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement. It is listed on Appendix II of the Bern Convention. Listed on Annex I of the EU Bird?s Directive. It is listed within 45 marine Important Bird Areas within Europe. In the EU it is listed in 131 Special Protection Areas.
Conservation Actions Proposed Identification of Important Bird Areas and designation as protected areas. Increased management in key breeding areas to prevent disturbance from tourism and recreational activities. Bibliography Burger, J. & Gochfeld, M. (1996). Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) (2014). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. 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. Gaidet, N.; Dodman, T.; Caron, A.; Balanà a, G.; Desvaux, S.; Goutard, F.; Cattoli, G.; Lamarque, F.; Hagemeijer, W.; Monicat, F. 2007. Avian Influenza Viruses in Water Birds, Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13(4): 626-629. 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. Olsen, K. M.; Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Richards, A. 1990. Seabirds of the northern hemisphere. Dragon's World Ltd, Limpsfield, U.K. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Map (see overleaf)