Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study
This note aims to provide an analytical description of the colonization of the coastal areas in northeastern Italy by the Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) and of the increase in its breeding population from 1995 to 2024, using both unpublished data and published information. After the firs...
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PAGEPress Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia - Research in Ornithology |
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| Online Access: | https://sisn.pagepress.org/rio/article/view/827 |
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| author | Roberto G. Valle Alessandro Sartori Francesco Scarton Emiliano Verza |
| author_facet | Roberto G. Valle Alessandro Sartori Francesco Scarton Emiliano Verza |
| author_sort | Roberto G. Valle |
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This note aims to provide an analytical description of the colonization of the coastal areas in northeastern Italy by the Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) and of the increase in its breeding population from 1995 to 2024, using both unpublished data and published information. After the first nesting of a single pair in 1996, the species nested occasionally until 2003, then increased to 5601 pairs in 2024. The wetlands of the northwestern Adriatic coast host significant numbers of breeding Mediterranean Gulls, probably one of the largest populations in Europe. Breeding occurred both on saltmarsh islets within lagoons regularly flooded by high tides and inside fish farms where water levels are strictly regulated. Recently, fish farms hosted 70-100% of the breeders, thus playing a key role in the species’ conservation. Climate change, and in particular the increase of floods and storms during the breeding season, is expected to induce the disappearance of the colonies outside fish farms.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aece8540ce964b639bc8d18df717eafd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0035-6875 2385-0833 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia - Research in Ornithology |
| spelling | doaj-art-aece8540ce964b639bc8d18df717eafd2025-08-26T11:18:43ZengPAGEPress PublicationsRivista Italiana di Ornitologia - Research in Ornithology0035-68752385-08332025-07-0195110.4081/rio.2025.827Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year studyRoberto G. Valle0Alessandro Sartori1Francesco Scarton2Emiliano Verza3Rialto, San Polo, VeniceVeniceSELC Soc. Coop, VeniceRovigo This note aims to provide an analytical description of the colonization of the coastal areas in northeastern Italy by the Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) and of the increase in its breeding population from 1995 to 2024, using both unpublished data and published information. After the first nesting of a single pair in 1996, the species nested occasionally until 2003, then increased to 5601 pairs in 2024. The wetlands of the northwestern Adriatic coast host significant numbers of breeding Mediterranean Gulls, probably one of the largest populations in Europe. Breeding occurred both on saltmarsh islets within lagoons regularly flooded by high tides and inside fish farms where water levels are strictly regulated. Recently, fish farms hosted 70-100% of the breeders, thus playing a key role in the species’ conservation. Climate change, and in particular the increase of floods and storms during the breeding season, is expected to induce the disappearance of the colonies outside fish farms. https://sisn.pagepress.org/rio/article/view/827Charadriiformeslagoon of VeniceMediterranean GullPo Delta |
| spellingShingle | Roberto G. Valle Alessandro Sartori Francesco Scarton Emiliano Verza Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia - Research in Ornithology Charadriiformes lagoon of Venice Mediterranean Gull Po Delta |
| title | Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study |
| title_full | Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study |
| title_fullStr | Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study |
| title_short | Settlement and population increase of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, breeding in the northwestern Adriatic coastal wetlands. A thirty-year study |
| title_sort | settlement and population increase of the mediterranean gull larus melanocephalus breeding in the northwestern adriatic coastal wetlands a thirty year study |
| topic | Charadriiformes lagoon of Venice Mediterranean Gull Po Delta |
| url | https://sisn.pagepress.org/rio/article/view/827 |
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