International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 6 (12), pp. 001-008, December, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Numbers and phenology of the Yellow - legged Gull Larus michahellis in the wetland of Réghaïa

Samia Ouarab¹*, Jean-Francois Voisin², Michel Thevenot³ and Salahedine Doumandji⁴

¹Laboratory of Biologie, University Saâd Dahlab, Blida, Algeria.

²UMS 305, National Natural History Meseum, CP 51 (Mammifères et Oiseaux), 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris.

³University of Montpellier II, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Laboratory of Biogeography et Ecology des Vertebrates, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.

⁴Departement of Zoology Agricole et Forestry, Institut Natiional Agronomique, El Harrach, Alger, Algeria.

Accepted 10 July, 2017

Abstract

The Yellow - legged Gull Larus michaellis is a common visitor to the Marsh of Reghaia (Algeria) and breeds off the coast in small numbers on the Agueli islet, a rocky outcrop with scarce vegetation. It is especially frequent in the marsh out of the breeding season, particularly in December (120 individuals) and January (234 individuals) (data from 2004). Gulls breed on the islet: 31 nests were recorded in 2004 but only 14 in 2006, when no chick fledged due to human disturbance. In 2004, 39% of the nests were built by the centre of the islet and only few were located on the western slope exposed to winds blowing from the North, North-west and West. Clutch size varied from 1 to 3 eggs (2 ± 0.93).

Key words: Larus michahellis, numbers, breeding, Algeria.