Changes in Flight Altitude of Black-Tailed Gulls According to Temporal and Environmental Differences
1
HAE-IN Ecological Research Institute, Busan 48304, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
3
Environment Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020202
Submission received: 9 December 2023
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Revised: 3 January 2024
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Accepted: 3 January 2024
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Published: 8 January 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Birds)
Simple Summary
Gulls are known for their adaptability and can navigate various environments from coastal and inland areas to marine spaces. Despite extensive studies using GPS tracking devices to explore the habitat use and flight patterns of numerous gull and other bird species, little such research has focused on the widely-distributed black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) inhabiting the Korean Peninsula. To fill this gap in our understanding, our study employed GPS trackers to analyze the flight behavior and habitat use of black-tailed gulls. Our results unveiled distinct ranges of activity and flight altitudes that were influenced by both season and region. These findings suggest that the flight behavior of black-tailed gulls is responsive to environmental changes. Our study contributes fundamental data on the flight behavior of black-tailed gulls.
Abstract
In this study, GPS trackers were attached to black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) breeding on five islands in Republic of Korea during April and May 2021, and their flight frequency, behavioral range, and flight altitude were compared during and after the breeding season. During the breeding season, the flight frequency was lowest on Dongman Island (28.7%), where mudflats were distributed nearby, and the range of activity was narrow. In contrast, it tended to be high on Gungsi Island (52%), where the breeding colony was far from land, resulting in a wider range of activity. Although the flight frequency on Dongman Island increased post-breeding season (42.7%), it decreased on other islands. The mean flight altitude during the breeding season was lowest on Dongman Island and highest on Napdaegi Island. In most breeding areas, the mean flight altitude during the post-breeding season was higher than that during the breeding season. However, the lead flight altitude was lower during the non-breeding season compared to that in the breeding season. The home range expanded after the breeding season, with no significant difference in lead time between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Our findings reveal that black-tailed gulls exhibit varying home ranges and flight altitudes depending on season and geographical location. As generalists, gulls display flexible responses to environmental changes, indicating that flight behavior adapts to the evolving environment over time and across regions.
Keywords:
black-tailed gull; flight height; home-range; GPS tracking
