Ecology of Larus occidentalis
| Main Ref. | SAUP Database, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Remarks | Occupies the continental shelf; <80 km (Ref. 356). Scavengers; exhibits kleptoparasitism (Ref. 356). Opportunistic feeders that eat a wide variety of food. Based on stable isotope analysis (SIA) diet study of egg albumin, belongs to lower N signature group (based on ratios of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon) indicating a more planktivorous diet. Switch in diet from garbage to fish when chicks hatch for its higher nutritional content to assure higher fledging success. Early breeding and early egg-laying assures higher fledging success for this species. On the Farallon Islands, California, high nest failures recorded during ENSO (El Niño) events; severe events in 1982-1983 causing adult mortality. (Ref. 87784). |
Aquatic zones / Water bodies
| Marine - Neritic | Marine - Oceanic | Brackishwater | Freshwater | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies |
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Habitat
| Substrate | |
|---|---|
| Substrate Ref. | |
| Special habitats | |
| Special habitats Ref. |
Associations
| Ref. | |
|---|---|
| Associations | |
| Associated with | |
| Association remarks | |
| Parasitism |
feeding
| Feeding type | |
|---|---|
| Feeding type Ref. | |
| Feeding habit | |
| Feeding habit Ref. |
Trophic Level(s)
| Estimation method | original sample | unfished population | Remark | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troph | s.e. | Troph | s.e. | ||
| From diet composition | |||||
| From individual food items | 4.28 | 0.66 | Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine. | ||
| Ref. | |||||