Effects of Nine Years of Fox Predation on Two Species of Breeding Gulls

Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) and Herring Gulls (L. argentatus) nesting on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan were subjected to at least 9 yr of intense fox predation. Both gull species experienced total or nearly total reproductive failure during all but 1 yr between 1975 and 1983. The...

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Veröffentlicht in:The Auk 1985, Vol.102 (4), p.827-833
Hauptverfasser: Southern, William E., Patton, Stephen R., Southern, Linda K., Hanners, Lise A.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) and Herring Gulls (L. argentatus) nesting on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan were subjected to at least 9 yr of intense fox predation. Both gull species experienced total or nearly total reproductive failure during all but 1 yr between 1975 and 1983. The number of active nests declined significantly during this period, with Ring-bills showing a more regular rate of reduction. These gull species are unlikely to produce progeny when subjected to regular fox predation. Persistence of the colonies may be the result of a nucleus of experienced, site-tenacious breeders returning to the site year after year.
ISSN:0004-8038
1938-4254