scholarly journals Population trends and status of four seabird species (Uria aalge, Alca torda, Larus fuscus, Larus argentatus) at Stora Karlsö in the Baltic Sea

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2–4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olof Olsson ◽  
Jonas Hentati-Sundberg
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Larus Argentatus ◽  
Herring Gull ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Alca Torda ◽  
Seabird Species ◽  
Larus Fuscus ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Annual Decline

The island of Stora Karlsö hosts the largest colonies of fish-eating seabirds in the Baltic Sea. However, recent and reliable estimates of the number of breeding pairs of the main species have been missing. Based on a complete census in 2014, we estimated the number of Common Guillemots Uria aalge to 15,700 pairs, more than half (up to 70%) of the Baltic Sea population. The number has almost tripled since the early 1970s and the increase has been particularly strong the last 11 years, with an annual increase of 5.1%. We counted 24,600 individual adult Razorbills Alca torda and estimated it to correspond to a maximum of 12,300 pairs in 2015–2016 (census over two seasons). The colony has grown strongly; on average by 5.6% annually since the early 1970s, and Stora Karlsö now hosts up to 30% of the Baltic Sea population. Stora Karlsö also hosts colonies with about 300 pairs each of Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus and Herring Gull Larus argentatus. The gulls’ trends are negative, with an average annual decline the last 10-year period by 5.0% and 6.2%, respectively.

scholarly journals Biometrics of Razorbills Alca torda staying during the nonbreeding season in the Polish Baltic zone

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3–4) ◽  
pp. 159-163
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Meissner ◽  
Joanna Drozdowska ◽  
Szymon Bzoma
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Wing Length ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Clinal Variation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Final Size ◽  
Alca Torda ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
The Baltic

Biometrical analysis of Razorbills Alca torda captured or drowned in fishing nets in the Polish economic zone of the Baltic Sea is based on measurements of 98 individuals collected in the non-breeding period (October–April) in 2006–2013. These birds are assumed to represent the breeding population of the Baltic Sea as recoveries show that very few other birds visit that area. Bill depth and wing length of juveniles were much smaller than in older birds which suggests that the final size of these measurements is not achieved during the first winter but continue to increase as the birds grow older. In older birds only total head length and bill length were significantly larger in males than in females. Mean bill depth of Razorbills from the Polish Baltic zone fits well to clinal variation from south-west to north of the European part of the breeding range. However, mean wing length was much larger than expected according to the regression, which might result from differences in measuring technique. On the other hand it cannot be excluded that the Baltic population may actually have longer wings.

Assessment of emerging and traditional halogenated contaminants in Guillemot (Uria aalge) egg from North-Western Europe and the Baltic Sea

2009 ◽  
Vol 407 (13) ◽  
pp. 4174-4183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hrönn Jörundsdóttir ◽  
Anders Bignert ◽  
Jörundur Svavarsson ◽  
Torgeir Nygård ◽  
Pál Weihe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
North Western

Embryotoxic potential of persistent organic pollutants extracted from tissues of guillemots (Uria aalge) from the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 2401-2411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne F. De Roode ◽  
M. Bodil Gustavsson ◽  
Anna-lea Rantalainen ◽  
Anette V. Klomp ◽  
Jan H. Koeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Organic Pollutants ◽  
Persistent Organic Pollutants ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic

Adult survival and avian cholera in Common Guillemots Uria aalge in the Baltic Sea

Ibis ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Österblom ◽  
Henk P. Van Der Jeugd ◽  
Olof Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Avian Cholera ◽  
The Baltic

Multivariate Data Analyses of Chlorinated and Brominated Contaminants and Biological Characteristics in Adult Guillemot (Uria aalge) from the Baltic Sea

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (22) ◽  
pp. 8630-8637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Lundstedt-Enkel ◽  
Anna-Karin Johansson ◽  
Mats Tysklind ◽  
Lillemor Asplund ◽  
Kerstin Nylund ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Multivariate Data ◽  
Biological Characteristics ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
The Baltic

scholarly journals A decrease in fledging body mass in common guillemot Uria aalge chicks in the Baltic Sea

2001 ◽  
Vol 224 ◽  
pp. 305-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Österblom ◽  
A Bignert ◽  
T Fransson ◽  
O Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Common Guillemot ◽  
The Baltic

Utilization of discards and offal from commercial fisheries by seabirds in the Baltic Sea

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 980-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Garthe ◽  
Birgit Scherp
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Herring Gull ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Blue Mussels ◽  
Herring Gulls ◽  
Diet Assessment ◽  
Widespread Phenomenon ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract The distribution and abundance of scavenging seabirds and their utilization of discards and offal between June and December 1998 were studied in the western Baltic Sea. Herring gulls were clearly the most numerous scavenging species in all areas and all seasons, followed by great black-backed gulls, lesser black-backed gulls and mew gulls. High percentages of discarded gadoids (cod, whiting), clupeids (herring, sprat), scad, rockling and offal were consumed by seabirds during experimental discarding on fishing boats, whereas the percentages of flatfish consumed were extremely low. There was a clear effect of cod length on total and species-specific consumption by birds but this pattern was hardly evident for clupeids or dab. By combining official discard and offal statistics and our experimental discarding, we estimate that 6500 t of fish discards and 16 000 t of offal were consumed annually by seabirds in the Baltic Sea. Bivalves, especially blue mussels Mytilus edulis, were the most frequently represented food item in herring gull pellets. Fish identified in the pellets consisted mainly of gadoids, in particular cod. The proportion of discards in herring gull pellets was on average 1.6% (range: 0–4.5%) at Laboe and 17.5% at Warnemünde (range: 9.4–25.5%), but pellets bias diet assessment as offal and other soft prey (including clupeids) will be under-represented. Scavenging on discards and offal is a widespread phenomenon in the Baltic Sea as it is in other shelf areas of Europe, but the number of bird species involved is generally lower and strongly biased towards gulls, especially herring gulls.

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