ARBOUW GJ (1985) On the breeding biology of Common Gulls Larus canus in the Netherlands. LIMOSA 58 (3): 109-112.

Common Gull Larus canus canus In 1980, some aspects of the breeding biology of the Common Gull Larus canus were studied on the island of Texel, one of the Dutch Frisian Islands. The study was carried out in two colonies (colonies Bas and Zee). In colony Bas 67% of the nests were situated within 4 m distance of the nearest nest. In colony Zee this percentage amounted to 28%. In the nearby colony of Herring Gulls L. argentatus the percentage was 31 (fig. 1). The average date of clutch commencement was 21.8 May ? 6.5. (s.d.) days (fig. 2). There was a significant difference in clutch size between both colonies (tab. 1.). The average clutch size, as well as the average brood size, decreased significantly during the season (tab. 2). On average, 65.0% of the total number of eggs hatched. Almost a fourth disappeared through predation (tab. 3). The number of disappeared eggs was significantly larger in colony Bas than in colony Zee. Hatching success was highest for d3, zero for dl, and intermediate for d2 (tab. 3). Average hatching success for c/3 decreased from 79% in early clutches to 33% in late ones (tab. 4). This decrease was due to an increase in predation by Common and Herring Gulls. During the growing stage 28% of the chicks were found dead, 45% disappeared without being found (but most probably also died), while 27% of the young reached the fledging stage with certainty. The average production per nest was 2.70 eggs and 2.38 chicks (nests in which none of the eggs hatched omitted). Overall reproductive success amounted to 0.47 fledged young per nest.

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