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Among-colony variation in plastic ingestion by Yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) across the western Mediterranean basin
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This study investigated spatial variation in plastic ingestion by Yellow-legged gulls across 11 Mediterranean colonies over two years, finding that proximity to marine prey sources and agricultural land use significantly influenced plastic intake. The results suggest gulls can serve as reliable sentinel species for monitoring plastic pollution and tracking responses to improved waste management.
The Mediterranean region is both a hotspot for biodiversity and for the accumulation of plastic pollution. Many species are exposed to this pollution while feeding, including a wide diversity of seabirds. Our objective was to investigate spatial variation in the quantity and types of plastic ingested by Yellow-legged gulls using information obtained from regurgitated pellets collected in 11 colonies. Anthropogenic debris, and particularly plastic, was found in pellets from all colonies, but the amount varied considerably. This among-colony difference was stable over the two years of study. The presence of marine prey and the proportion of agricultural area around the colonies significantly influenced the number of ingested plastics. As landfills close and garbage management improves, the availability of anthropogenic waste should decline. Following the response of gulls to these changes will be particularly useful for monitoring plastic pollution and for understanding the response of opportunistic wildlife to environmental modifications.
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Plastic pollution exposure in seabirds : from macroplastics to microplastics
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A French PhD thesis quantified plastic pollution exposure in yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) across the western Mediterranean, finding microplastics (10 µm–1 mm) in nearly all examined birds, with an average of ~39 mg of plastic per bird including ~8.5 mg of small microplastics. The work developed a new tissue-level microplastic quantification protocol for vertebrates, and shows that seabirds near landfills and agricultural areas carry the heaviest plastic burdens — suggesting land-based waste management directly controls wildlife microplastic exposure.
Contrasting patterns of plastic ingestion and transport by an opportunistic gull across urban and agricultural landscapes
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Researchers compared plastic ingestion and GPS-tracked transport behavior in yellow-legged gulls breeding in urban Barcelona versus an inland agricultural area, finding that urban gulls carried plastics in 100% of regurgitated pellets and transported roughly ten times more plastic debris to their colonies than their inland counterparts.
Changes in plastic ingestion by yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) over the breeding season
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Scientists studying seagulls in France found that nearly 84% of the birds' regurgitated pellets contained plastic, mostly bits of plastic sheeting like bags and wrappers. Interestingly, gulls seemed to eat slightly less plastic-contaminated food right when their chicks hatched, suggesting they instinctively try to feed their young safer meals. This matters for us too: it shows just how deeply plastic pollution has infiltrated wildlife food chains, the same food chains that eventually connect back to the fish and seafood many people eat.
Microplastics in feces and pellets from yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in the Atlantic Islands National Park of Galicia (NW Spain)
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Researchers found microplastics in feces and pellets from yellow-legged gulls nesting in the Atlantic Islands National Park of Galicia, Spain, detecting particles of five shapes with polypropylene as the dominant polymer. The study provides baseline microplastic contamination data for this ecologically important seabird in a protected coastal area.
Plastic waste in Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis atlantis) nests in Biosphere Reserves of the Canary Islands (Spain)
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Researchers examined plastic waste found in the nests of Yellow-legged gulls at Biosphere Reserves in the Canary Islands, Spain, finding macro, meso, and microplastic particles incorporated into nesting material. When birds use plastic debris to build nests, they introduce contamination to breeding sites and create pathways for young birds to be exposed to plastics from hatching.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.