Flyways and migratory behaviour of the Vega gull (Larus vegae), a little-known Arctic endemic.

ABSTRACT: Large gulls are generalist predators that play an important role in Arctic food webs. Describing the migratory patterns and phenology of these predators is essential to understanding how Arctic ecosystems function. However, from all six large Arctic gull taxa, including three long-distance migrants, to date seasonal movements have been studied only in three and with small sample sizes. To document the flyways and migratory behaviour of the Vega gull, a widespread but little-studied Siberian migrant, we monitored 28 individuals with GPS loggers over a mean period of 383 days. Birds used similar routes in spring and autumn, preferring coastal to inland or offshore routes, and travelled 4000-5500 km between their breeding (Siberia) and wintering grounds (mainly the Republic of Korea and Japan

SUBMITTER: Gilg O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9934386 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature