Global population and conservation status of the great black-backed gull Larus marinus

Langlois Lopez, Samuel; Bond, Alexander L.; O’Hanlon, Nina J.; Wilson, Jared M.; Vitz, Andrew; Mostello, Carolyn S.; Hamilton, Frederick; Rail, Jean-François; Welch, Linda; Boettcher, Ruth; Wilhelm, Sabina I.; Anker-Nilssen, Tycho; Daunt, Francis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4638-3388; Masden, Elizabeth. 2023 Global population and conservation status of the great black-backed gull Larus marinus. Bird Conservation International, 33, e23. 11, pp. 10.1017/S0959270922000181

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Abstract/Summary

The Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus is a generalist species that inhabits temperate and arctic coasts of the north Atlantic Ocean. In recent years, there has been growing concern about population declines at local and regional scales; however, there has been no attempt to robustly assess Great Black-backed Gull population trends across its global range. We obtained the most recent population counts across the species’ range and analysed population trends at a global, continental, and national scale over the most recent three-generation period (1985–2021) following IUCN Red List criteria. We found that, globally, the species has declined by 43%–48% over this period (1.2–1.3% per annum, respectively), from an estimated 291,000 breeding pairs to 152,000–165,000 breeding pairs under two different scenarios. North American populations declined more steeply than European ones (68% and 28%, respectively). We recommend that Great Black-backed Gull should be uplisted from ‘Least Concern’ to ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species under criterion A2 (an estimated reduction in population size >30% over three generations).

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1017/S0959270922000181
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0959-2709
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	Larus gulls, gull populations, population assessment, population ecology, bird conservation
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	28 Dec 2022 16:51 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/533769

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