David Hodgkinson

World smallest gull of high conservation concern with Palearctic distribution. Breeding colonially in N Europe, mostly Finland, Baltic countries and W Russia. Migratory strategy, wintering on W European coasts and fewer in the North Sea (Olsen & Larsson 2004; Schwemmer & Garthe 2006).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendUnknown
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		64300-125000,88900
Red List categoryLC
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 Little Gull

Most ring-recoveries come from N Europe (ca.73%), where birds breeding in Finland and the Baltic region move W/SW to main wintering grounds in UK and the Atlantic coasts of W Europe (Olsen & Larsson 2004).  Fewer recoveries with S migratory direction, towards Mediterranean. Exceptional number of recoveries in Turkey, Tunisia, Kazakhstan and even E America. Other ringing regions with few data, thus hampering us to obtain firm conclusiones. NW European population shows similar pattern to N European populations.

Recoveries by Condition for Little Gull

Overall, half of this species recoveries (ca.49%) are due to birds found dead, sick or wounded, and 35% are birds seen alive (ringing recoveries). The proportion of dead recoveries has always been high, no less than 47% in any of the three chief time periods. The proportion of ringing recoveries reached a peak in 1961-1990 time period (ca. 40%), then decreasing to 18% from 1990 to present, where the alive recoveries other than from ringing or identified by other means, increased up to 30%.

Annual Movements for Little Gull

First-year birds start to migrate earlier than adults (already in Jul, peaking mid Aug/mid Sep). Post-breeding migration starts in late Aug until early Nov, according to literature, concentrations at specific moulting places before resuming their autumn S/SW-ward movements (Olsen & Larsson 2004). Arrival back to breeding sites in Finland / Baltic area in late Apr/ May. Spring migration takes place very rapidly (Schwemmer & Garthe 2006).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Little Gull

Phenological pattern similar to all populations; see then the 'Annual movements' section. 

Olatz Aizpurua & 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
Olsen, K. M., Larsson, H.2004 . Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm Identification Guides, London
Schwemmer, P., Garthe, S.2006 . Spatial patterns in at-sea behaviour during spring migration by little gulls (Larus minutus) in the southeastern North Sea. Journal of Ornithology 147 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-005-0035-3) : 354–366

Back to Analysis