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Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus   [Linnaeus, 1758]
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Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
BTO Codes: LB, LBBGU EURING No: 5910
Number in Britain: 110 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: Not a species of concern
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: graellsi (RBW), intermedius (P), fuscus (V) recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 58 cm Wingspan: 142 cm Weight: M/F: 830 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: laros=a seabird and L.: fuscus=dusky
World Distribution: BREEDS: N&w Europe, nw Russia, WINTERS: south to s Africa & Persian Gulf
Habitat: Seacoasts, lakes, rivers
Diet: Omnivorous, often feeds at rubbish dumps or on shoals of fish
TitBit: Until relatively recently the Lesser Blackback was almost exclusively a summer visitor, wintering in France and Portugal, but since the 1980s a rapidly increasing number stay for the winter.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: JNCC Seabird Monitoring Programme
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Local Atlases)   
British Population Size:
    Summer: 110 thousand pairs in 1998-02
    Winter: 125 thousand individuals in 1993
    First Record: 1802
    Latest Survey: Mitchell, P.I. et al. (2004) Seabird populations of Britain and Ireland Poyser, London
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Localised Breeding Population, Important Breeding Population
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern: graellsi AMBER (Rare or Localised), intermedius GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Common in: Estuaries, Open Shore
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 300 to 350 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WBD(II*)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Seabird 2000 (warning: link to large pdf)

Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 67 x 47 mm Egg Weight: 78.5 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 358
Clutch Size: 3 eggs
Incubation: 24- 27 days   by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 30 - 40days as: Semi-precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: 4903 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: 0.913 ± 0.012    (M:0.918 ± 0.016; F:0.907 ± 0.018)      
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 4 years Typical Lifespan: 15 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 34 years 10 months 27 days (set in 2000)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics
Ring Size: Go
Wing Length Adult: 410.9 ± 16.2 Range 384 - 438 mm, N =149
Juvenile: 408.9 ± 21.3 365 - 440 mm, N =48
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: 830.9 ± 103.8 Range 686.0 - 999.0 g , N =100
Juvenile: 784.9 ± 118.2 630.0 - 1000 g , N =54
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names
Lesser Blackback
Gaelic: Farspag-bheag Welsh: Gwylan Gefnddu
Danish: Sildemåge Dutch: Kleine mantelmeeuw
Finnish: Selkälokki French: Goéland brun
German: Heringsmöwe Hungarian: Heringsirály
Icelandic: Sílamáfur Irish: Droimneach Beag
Italian: Zafferano Norwegian: Sildemåke
Polish: Mewa zóltonoga Portuguese: Gaivota-d'asa-escura
Spanish: Gaviota sombría Swedish: Silltrut
Local Names:Peerie Baagie

For More Information...
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See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead