Category: Charadriiformes

Laughing gulls (Larus atricilla) and black skimmers (Rynchops nigra) brought to Newfoundland by hurricane

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 6 abstract Sea-birds from the West Indies and nearby subtropical regions occasionally occur in New England and the Maritime Provinces of Canada as a result of hurricanes. Peterson (1947) lists three species, the Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) and the Noddy (Anous stolidus) which breed at Dry Tortugas and the […]

aerial Photography Techniques to Estimate Populations of Laughing Gull Nests in Jamaica Bay, New York, 1992-1995

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 8 abstract We evaluated aerial photography (full coverage, using fixed-wing aircraft) and aerial video (transects, using helicopter) surveys to estimate the population of Laughing Gull (Larus ahicilla) nests in Jamaica Bay, New York, during June 1992-1995. We counted 4,920 nests in the colony using aerial photography and estimated 5,367 […]

Brown pelican foraging success and kleptoparasitism by laughing gulls

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 9 abstract Previous studies have shown age-related differences in feeding success for a number of bird species, particularly those found in marine environments. We compared the foraging success of adult and immature Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding along the Playa Miramar northwest of Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. On many of […]

Phylogenetic Diversity and Molecular Detection of Bacteria inGull Feces

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 5 abstract In spite of increasing public health concerns about the potential risks associated with swimming inwaters contaminated with waterfowl feces, little is known about the composition of the gut microbialcommunity of aquatic birds. To address this, a gull 16S rRNA gene clone library was developed andanalyzed to determine […]

Environmentally acquired lead in the laughing gull

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 2 abstract Lead concentrations were measured in eggs, prefledglings and adult laughinggulls collected near Galveston, Texas. No lead was found in eggs. Prefledglingand adult birds had lead ranging from zero to 16 itg/g wet tissue. Liver had thegreatest lead concentrations followed by brain, heart and skeletal muscle. Therewere no […]

Nesting success and status of the least tern breeding colony at gibson lake in southwestern indiana

Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) Science Article 6 abstract Federally-endangered interior least terns (Sterna antillarum) have nested at Gibson Lake in southwestern Indiana since 1986. In 2003 and 2004 we evaluated nesting success of least terns and identified factors influencing their productivity at Gibson Lake . In 2003 least terns nested only at secondary breeding sites, […]

Predation in a salt marsh Laughing Gull colony

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 7 abstract As an apparent consequence of predation pressures many colonial seabirds nest in places inaccessible to terrestrial animals (e.g. Crook and GossCustard 1972). In many parts of their breeding range along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts ooe North America Laughing Gulls (Larus atticilia) nest on salt marsh islands, […]

The Distribution and Conservation Status of the Gull-billed Tern ( Gelochelidon nilotica ) in North America

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Science Article 2 abstract The Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) has until recently received little conservation and managementattention within North America despite a relatively low overall population size and significant declines inparts of the breeding range. This lack of attention may stem in part from the wide distribution of the species, encompassingparts […]

Fledgling sex ratio variation in colonies of Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Science Article 1 abstract Fisher (1930) predicted that natural selectionshould favour equal parental investmentin male and female offspring, and that populationsex ratios at the end of the period ofparental care should be inversely related to thecost of producing individuals of each sex if fitnessreturns from investment in sons and daughtersare similar. […]

A vagrant Laughing Gull (Larus africilfa) from Pitcairn Island

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Science Article 3 abstract During mid-March 1992, I discovered the remains of a Laughing Gull (Lamatricilla) at Down Rope Beach, Pitcairn Island. It appeared to have beendead for approximately one month. The distance from Pitcairn Island tothe wintering grounds of this North American gull is over 5,000 km GRAHAM WRAGG, NOTORNIS […]