Number dynamics of Yellow-legged Gull in the colony near Kaniv hydroelectric power station in 1991-2006. - V.N. Grishchenko, M.N. Gavrilyuk, E.D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko. - Avifauna of Ukraine. 3. 2006. - P. 59-64.
The colony is located on the concrete breakwater near the Kaniv hydroelectric power station. It has appeared in 1991. Now it is the biggest colony of Yellow-legged Gull on the Middle Dnieper. Number dynamics of gulls is described by classic s-shaped curve (Figure). After the quick jump in 1994 the number increased linearly. In 1998–2002 the colony was gradually stabilised at the level about 300 breeding pairs. In 2003 the number has jumped again in 1,5 times, but last two years it was stabilised at the lower level. The mean clutch size is 2,64 ± 0,05 (Table 1). About three fourth of full clutches have 3 eggs. The reason of number decreasing last years is not clear yet. May be it is connected with high mortality of young birds in 2001. Number of recoveries from gulls ringed in the colony that year is unusually low (Table 2). [Russian].
Key words: Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans, Cherkasy region, number, clutch size.
Address: V.N. Grishchenko, Kaniv Nature Reserve, 19000, Kaniv, Ukraine; e-mail: vgrishchenko@mail.ru.