The origins and temporal and spatial distribution patterns of non-local gulls in the Bay of Biscay

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Bay of Biscay is an important non-breeding area for some Palaearctic gull species and populations. The aim of this work is to describe the spatial and temporal distributions of non-breeding gulls in the Bay of Biscay, and to identify their major areas of origin. With that goal, we analysed 6773 live sightings of colour-ringed gulls within the southeastern part of the Bay of Biscay during the 20 years 2000–19, relating to 2552 individuals of 10 species. Their distribution along the coast was not homogeneous, with numbers peaking in most cases from November to February, though some species were observed to peak around midsummer. Their origins comprised a wide geographical area encompassing western and eastern Europe; overall, the species can be divided into four groups by origin: northwestern France with Britain and Ireland, central western Europe (with a centroid in the Benelux region), eastern Europe, and the western Mediterranean.