Trans‐equatorial migration, staging sites and wintering area of Sabine’s GullsLarus sabiniin the Atlantic Ocean

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-919x.2011.01180.x
• Publication Date: 2011-10-31T09:59:11Z
• Authors: IAIN J. STENHOUSE; CARSTEN EGEVANG; RICHARD A. PHILLIPS
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Benguela Upwelling; hotspots; Xema sabini.; annual cycle; geolocators; 14. Life underwater; Larus sabini; 01 natural sciences

The migrations and winter distributions of most seabirds, particularly small pelagic species, remain poorly understood despite their potential as indicators marine ecosystem health. Here we report the use miniature archival light loggers (geolocators) to track annual migration Sabine’s Gull Larus sabini , a ( c. 200 g) Arctic‐breeding larid. We describe migratory routes identify previously unknown staging sites in Atlantic Ocean, well main wintering area southern hemisphere. Gulls breeding northeast Greenland displayed an average almost 32 000 km n = 6), with longest return journey spanning close 39 (not including local movements at or within area). On migration, they spent 45 days Bay Biscay Iberian Sea, off coasts France, Spain Portugal. They all wintered association cold waters Benguela Upwelling, spending 152 that area. north, staged west African coast (Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal), on 19 this site. This leg was rapid, birds travelling 813 km/day, assisted by prevailing winds. generally followed similar path outbound migrations, did not exhibit broad figure‐of‐eight pattern (anti clockwise hemisphere northern hemisphere) seen other trans‐equatorial seabirds Pacific oceans.