Discover the Black Sea (Ep 5)

Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan)

Distribution and migration to the Black Sea

• Breeding Range: The Yelkouan Shearwater breeds in the central and eastern Mediterranean, including regions such as southern France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Croatia, Albania, and Tunisia. The species is also believed to breed in Turkey, though no confirmed colonies have been identified .

• Migration Patterns: After the breeding season, many individuals migrate to the Black Sea, passing through the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait. This migration is crucial for foraging during the non-breeding period .

• Tracking Studies: Research involving geolocators has shown that Yelkouan Shearwaters from Malta migrate to the Black Sea during the non-breeding season. These birds spend considerable time in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Adriatic Sea, with some returning to the Mediterranean by November or December .

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Distribution in the Black Sea

The Black Sea region plays a particularly important role in the species' annual cycle, serving as both a migration corridor and a major wintering ground. During autumn, from September to November, large numbers of gulls migrate south from their breeding grounds in northern and eastern Europe—such as Poland, the Baltic countries, Russia, and interior Ukraine—toward the Black Sea basin. They return north in spring, between February and April, to breed across a broad range stretching from the British Isles to Siberia.

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Habitat and Distribution in the Black Sea

Unlike migratory gull species such as the Black-headed Gull, the Yellow-legged Gull in the Black Sea is mainly resident. However, some dispersal occurs after breeding, especially by juveniles, who may travel short to moderate distances along the coast or inland. Birds ringed in the Black Sea have occasionally been recorded in southern Europe or the eastern Mediterranean, though long-distance migration is rare for this species.