Changes in plastic ingestion by yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) over the breeding season. (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nono Almeida, Florence; Leray, Carole; Boutry, Justine; ter Halle, Alexandra; Vittecoq, Marion; Provencher, Jennifer F.; McCoy, Karen D.
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 187(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: Chick provisioning -- Foraging ecology -- Laridae -- Regurgitated pellets -- Plastic pollution; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114483
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Gulls can be particularly vulnerable to ingesting plastics when using anthropogenic food sources, with potential consequences for survival and reproductive success. Although birds are known to switch foraging habitats over the breeding season to provide higher quality food for chick provisioning, it is unclear what this means regarding the ingestion of plastics. Here, we tested whether breeding gulls decrease the amount of plastic ingested during reproduction by collecting pellets from a series of monitored nests at a large yellow-legged gull ( Larus michahellis ) colony in southern France. We found at least one plastic item in 83.9 % of the analyzed pellets, with the most abundant plastic type being polyethylene-based sheet plastic. As predicted, we found a slight decrease in the number of plastic items in pellets at chick hatching. These results suggest that gulls, like other birds, may adjust foraging habits to provide more digestible, less risky, food to chicks. Highlights: 83.9 % of the gull pellets contained at least one plastic item. The most abundant plastic type was polyethylene sheet plastic from food packaging. There was a slight decrease in the number of plastic items in pellets at chick hatching There was no change in foraging habitat used by breeding adults pre and post-hatching