Skip to content

YELLOW-LEGGED GULL
Larus michahellis

warning Near Threatened
NT (D1)

Contributed: Asaf Mayrose, Ezra Hadad, Lior Kislev

The Yellow-legged Gull is classified as Near Threatened (NT) because of its small population size (about 80 mature individuals), combined with a regional adjustment for the fact that its population is expanding and that the Israeli population has always been a marginal population at the edge of its global range. In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Critically Endangered (CR). The improvement in the threat category reflects the population growth and its expansion to central Israel, in particular to the Tel-Aviv Metropolitan Area.
NT Current Regional Assessment | CR Previous Regional Assessment | LC World Assessment

Habitats Coastal Islats, Salt Ponds, Wetlands with Shallow Banks
Presence In Israel Resident
Nesting In Israel Breeder
Migration Types Resident
Zoography Zones Mediterranean
Landscape Formations Salt Ponds, Coastal Islats, Wetlands, Freshwater Bodies
Vegetation Densities Low
Nest Locations Ground
Diet Types Omnivore
Foraging Grounds Water, Ground
Body Sizes Medium (500 - 1000g)
Threat Factors Unknown

The Yellow-legged Gull is a resident breeding species found in small numbers on the northern Coastal Plain, in areas with fishponds and reservoirs close to the coast, and on small islands in the sea. In recent years the species began nesting in the Tel-Aviv Metropolitan Area as well. The estimated population in the different areas: 10-20 pairs on the Rosh HaNikra-Acre coast, 10-12 pairs on the Carmel coast, about 10 pairs in Tel-Aviv and 1-3 pairs in Yavne and Ashdod.
First nesting discovered in 1951. In the 1970s and 1980s, 5-12 pairs nested on the islands opposite Rosh HaNikra and between Atlit and Ma’agan Michael (Paz 1986, Shirihai 1996).

  • פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
Contributed: Asaf Mayrose, Ezra Hadad, Lior Kislev

Current Occupancy Map

Distribution maps

The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel in the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and nesting density during the comparison period. For further reading


Relative Abundance 2010-2020

Breeding density values as calculated from observation records and expert opinions.

Relative Abundance 1980-1990

Breeding density values are based mainly on the book Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).

Occupancy difference 1990-2020

A map that expresses differences in the breeding distribution between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative value - species previously present but is currently absent, positive value - species has not been recorded previously and is currently present, zero - no change in occupancy.

Relative abundance difference 1990-2020

A map that reflects the changes in the relative abundance of the species between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative values - decline in abundance, positive values - increase in abundance, zero - no change in abundance.


Rarity
Vulnerability
Attractiveness
Endemism
Red number
Peripherality

IUCN category
Definition

() districts
Disjunctiveness:
% of protected sites

Other Species

Larus leucophthalmus
Chlidonias niger
Sterna albifrons
Larus armenicus