SeaLifeBase
Ecology of Larus philadelphia
 
Main Ref. SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks Estuarine. Found on bay and nearshore (Ref. 116102). Surface seizing; dipping; coastal (Ref. 356). A surface nester, usually builds nest in trees. One of the few species that nest and forage in inland habitats, and move to the coast during non-breeding season. Colonial; distance between pairs may be >100m but nest sites still clumped with many other suitable nesting areas unutilized. Vulnerable to oil spill as a piscivore; saw 50% decline in population from 1989 in Prince William Sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill (Ref. 87784).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Larus philadelphia may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref. Schreiber, E.A. and J. Burger, 2001
Associations colony-forming/symphorism;
Associated with
Association remarks Colonial; distance between pairs may be >100m but nest sites still clumped (Ref. 87784)
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 3.94 0.64 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.
(e.g. 9948)
(e.g. cnidaria)
Comments & Corrections
 
 
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