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 |
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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. |
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ISSN: | 0004-8038 1938-4254 |