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A recently established Kelp Gull colony in a freshwater environment supported by an inland refuse dump in Patagonia
Citation
Frixione, MG and Casaux, R and Villanueva, C and Alarcon, PAE, A recently established Kelp Gull colony in a freshwater environment supported by an inland refuse dump in Patagonia, Emu, 112, (2) pp. 174-178. ISSN 0158-4197 (2012) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Journal compilation copyright BirdLife Australia 2012
DOI: doi:10.1071/MU11031
Abstract
Populations of several species of gull are increasing worldwide as a result of a plentiful supply
of anthropogenic
food in urbanised environments. In light of this, we decided to examine the importance of
anthropogenic food in the diet of a recently established colony of Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus).
We collected 241 regurgitated pellets of the Kelp Gull during the 2008–09 breeding season at the
colony in the De La Guardia Islands, Nahuel Huapi Lake, Argentina. In terms of percentage frequency
of occurrence in pellets, human refuse (65.6%) was the most frequently recorded item, followed by
insects (42.3%; mostly coleopterans) and fish (21.2%). In terms of the percentage number of total
prey items, insects (62.1%) and human refuse (21.3%) were the most abundant items. The consumption
of insects decreased and that of human refuse increased during chick-rearing. Human refuse was
recorded in samples from most nests (97.3%). We compare our results with those obtained for other
localities and discuss the consequences of the management of urban refuse. Our results suggest that
the Kelp Gull breeding colony in the De La Guardia Islands is sustained by the availability of food
from the rubbish tip of Villa la Angostura. This is the first dietary study of the Kelp Gull in a
continental freshwater ecosystem and one more example
of a gull colony supported by anthropogenic sources of food.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | diet, human refuse, Larus dominicanus, rubbish tip |
Research Division: | Engineering |
Research Group: | Geomatic engineering |
Research Field: | Photogrammetry and remote sensing |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments |
Objective Field: | Assessment and management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems |
UTAS Author: | Villanueva, C (Dr Cecilia Villanueva) |
ID Code: | 111636 |
Year Published: | 2012 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 18 |
Deposited By: | Fisheries and Aquaculture |
Deposited On: | 2016-09-27 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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