CAnMove

The eastern race of lesser black-backed gull (silltrut, Larus fuscus fuscus) is red listed in Sweden, for it underwent steep population declines through the last decades, in common with other populations of this race, but in great contrast to the western races (L. f. intermedius and L. f. graellsii). The decline is not fully understood, however the leading theory is that the races have divergent migration routes, with L. f. fuscus wintering in eastern Africa where they may be exposed to bioaccumulant chemicals.
 
This study looks to better understand the full annual cycle of these gulls through continuous GPS tracking throughout the year. Through a collaborative project the other races will also be tracked. The GPS device we use gives extremely detailed behaviour data, allowing for fine scale movement activity to be studied along with larger scale location of foraging areas and migration behaviour.