Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.

The ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) is an endangered seabird that spends its entire year in the Arctic environment. In the past three decades, threats from various sources have contributed to a >70% decline in Canada. To assess the annual habitat needs of this species, we attached satellite transm...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nora C Spencer, H Grant Gilchrist, Mark L Mallory
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4281149?pdf=render
_version_ 1818354696178368512
author Nora C Spencer
H Grant Gilchrist
Mark L Mallory
author_facet Nora C Spencer
H Grant Gilchrist
Mark L Mallory
author_sort Nora C Spencer
collection DOAJ
description The ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) is an endangered seabird that spends its entire year in the Arctic environment. In the past three decades, threats from various sources have contributed to a >70% decline in Canada. To assess the annual habitat needs of this species, we attached satellite transmitters to 12 ivory gulls on Seymour Island, Nunavut in 2010, which provided up to four breeding seasons of tracking data. Analysis of migratory behaviour revealed considerable individual variation of post-breeding migratory route selection. Ivory gulls traveled a median of 74 days during post-breeding migration, but only 18 days during pre-breeding migration. In contrast to predictions, ivory gulls did not use the Greenland coast during migratory periods. Ivory gulls overwintered near the ice edge in Davis Strait, but also used the Labrador Sea in late February and March. We suggest that the timing of formation and recession and extent of sea ice plays a large role in ivory gull distribution and migratory timing.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T19:29:31Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2c61605c244c4380bff2e136ac8308ed
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T19:29:31Z
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-2c61605c244c4380bff2e136ac8308ed2022-12-21T23:33:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-01912e11523110.1371/journal.pone.0115231Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.Nora C SpencerH Grant GilchristMark L MalloryThe ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) is an endangered seabird that spends its entire year in the Arctic environment. In the past three decades, threats from various sources have contributed to a >70% decline in Canada. To assess the annual habitat needs of this species, we attached satellite transmitters to 12 ivory gulls on Seymour Island, Nunavut in 2010, which provided up to four breeding seasons of tracking data. Analysis of migratory behaviour revealed considerable individual variation of post-breeding migratory route selection. Ivory gulls traveled a median of 74 days during post-breeding migration, but only 18 days during pre-breeding migration. In contrast to predictions, ivory gulls did not use the Greenland coast during migratory periods. Ivory gulls overwintered near the ice edge in Davis Strait, but also used the Labrador Sea in late February and March. We suggest that the timing of formation and recession and extent of sea ice plays a large role in ivory gull distribution and migratory timing.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4281149?pdf=render
spellingShingle Nora C Spencer
H Grant Gilchrist
Mark L Mallory
Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
PLoS ONE
title Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
title_full Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
title_fullStr Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
title_full_unstemmed Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
title_short Annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls: the importance of sea ice.
title_sort annual movement patterns of endangered ivory gulls the importance of sea ice
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4281149?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT noracspencer annualmovementpatternsofendangeredivorygullstheimportanceofseaice
AT hgrantgilchrist annualmovementpatternsofendangeredivorygullstheimportanceofseaice
AT marklmallory annualmovementpatternsofendangeredivorygullstheimportanceofseaice