The Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus, in Greenland

The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) became a frequent visitor in Greenland in the mid-1980s. Breeding was confirmed in 1990, and today the species is a common breeder in at least two areas in Southwest Greenland between 60° and 66° N. The current breeding population is estimated at more than...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ARCTIC
Main Author: Boertmann, David
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/63087
Description
Summary:The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) became a frequent visitor in Greenland in the mid-1980s. Breeding was confirmed in 1990, and today the species is a common breeder in at least two areas in Southwest Greenland between 60° and 66° N. The current breeding population is estimated at more than 700 pairs. Even though the colonization of Greenland by this species may be primarily the result of an increasing source population in Northwest Europe, climate change most likely will facilitate its expansion farther north in Greenland and probably also farther west to eastern Canadian coasts. Le goéland brun (Larus fuscus) est un visiteur fréquent du Groenland depuis le milieu des années 1980. La reproduction de cette espèce y a d’ailleurs été confirmée en 1990 et de nos jours, elle se reproduit régulièrement dans au moins deux régions du sud-ouest du Groenland, entre 60° et 66° N. En ce moment, la population de reproduction est évaluée à plus de 700 paires. Bien que la colonisation du Groenland par cette espèce puisse être attribuable à une population source de plus en plus grande dans le nord-ouest de l’Europe, le changement climatique facilitera vraisemblablement son foisonnement plus au nord du Groenland et probablement plus à l’ouest vers la côte est canadienne.