Sergey Dereliev

Pelagic gull breeding in colonies in the Arctic and subarctic region. Two subspecies, with the nominate one breeding from E Canada/Greenland to NW Russia, extending to S up to Iberia. Globally threatened species, classified as vulnerable (BirdLife International 2021)

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		3250000-3450000,3330000
Red List categoryVU
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 Black-legged Kittiwake

A very pelagic gull (e.g., Bogdanova et al. 2011), so many recoveries show natal/breeding dispersal, rather than breeding-wintering migratory movements. Philopatry assessed to be relatively low (Coulson & Nève de Mévergnie 1992). Overall, dispersal occurs widely over N Atlantic, rarely to S Atlantic (W African coasts) or other areas (Mediterranean up to Ukraine). Return to breeding colonies normally not before the third summer, and adults move less than immatures (Barrett 1997). Birds from N colonies tend to winter N than birds from S colonies (Barrett & Bakken 1997), though connectivity is weak, overall, a finding also supported by genetic studies (McCoy et al. 2005).

Recoveries by Condition for Black-legged Kittiwake

Overall, most recoveries due to birds seen alive identified with leg ring(s) or other means (53%), followed by recaptures of ringed individuals (32%). Up to 1990, a high proportion (ca. 50%) of recoveries due to birds found dead, sick/wounded, and yet also a proportion of recoveries due to shot (up to 27% before 1960). From 1990 to present, a high majority of the recoveries are due to birds found alive, most (59%) identified with leg ring(s) or other means.

Annual Movements for Black-legged Kittiwake

Colonies left by Jul-Aug, adult birds first. Return to breeding colonies from Jan (S part of their distribution range) or from Mar (N part of their range, mostly Arctic region). Distance of migration even vary among individual birds form a same colony, revealing complex dispersal pattern which is often associated to particular individual life histories (Bogdanova et al. 2011). 

Connectivity by Month by Region for Black-legged Kittiwake

C European Kittiwakes show apparently random natal/breeding dispersal from the N Sea area to S Greenland, NW Europe up to N Scandinavia. Few recoveries in winter, highly biased, most inland in C Europe (often drifted birds during storms). E Kittwakes from NE Fennoscandia show natal/breeding dispersal to UK up to Greenland. Recoveries in winter mostly SW, from Europe to E Canada. N Kittiwakes from W Scandinavia show movements W/SE, either in winter or due to natal/breeding dispersal, to NW Europe, Greenland, up to E Canada. NW gulls (mostly from UK) show natal/breeding dispersal mostly from NW to NE (i.e., from E Canada to NE Fennoscandia); winter recoveries more randomly, many around Faroe, also E Canada, W European coast from Iberia to S Scandinavia.

Juan Arizaga & Olatz Aizpurua

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Barrett, R. T., Bakken, V.1997 . Movements of Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla ringed in Norway. Ringing & Migration 18: 25–32
Barrett, R.T.1997 . Movements of Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla ringed in Norway. Ringing & Migration 18: 25–32
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Rissa tridactyla. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 11/10/2021.
Bogdanova, M. I., Daunt, F., Newell, M., Phillips, R. A., Harris, M. P., Wanless, S.2011 . Seasonal interactions in the black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla: links between breeding performance and winter distribution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278: 2412–2418
Coulson, J. C., Nève de Mévergnies, G.1992 . Where do young Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla breed, philopatry or dispersal?. Ardea 80: 187–197
McCoy, K. D., Boulinier, T., Tirard, C.2005 . Comparative host–parasite population structures: disentangling prospecting and dispersal in the black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Molecular Ecology 14: 2825–2838

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