Mew Gull

Larus canus (Linnaeus, 1758)

		adult, winter plumage in flight 1-st winter
2022-01-27 Cholpon-Ata 2021-01-30 lake Issyk-Kul2021-01-09 Bishkek, Ozernoe	© Irina Romanovskaia © Philippe Campeau© Philippe Campeau

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits the river valleys and steppe fresh lakes with plenty emergent vegetation, and also the salty lakes with islands. In spring arrives in small flocks of up to 30-50 birds, in end of March – April, migration finishes in mid-May. Breeds both singly and in colonies up to one thousand pairs, often together with Black-headed Gull, Black Tern or Little Gull. Nest is built on the dry heaps of reed, hummocks, banks of islands from the reed pieces and grass; nests placed up to 5-10 m one from another. Clutch of 2-3 eggs is produced in the end of April – May. Both parent incubate for 25 days and care for juveniles, which hatch in May – June, and begin to fly at age of 35 days old, in mid-June – early July. Autumn migration is in August – September, the latest birds recorded in mid-October – mid-November.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.