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A Technique to Color-Mark Incubating Gulls

1992; Association of Field Ornithologists; Volume: 63; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

1557-9263

Pm Cavanagh, CR Griffin, Em Hoopes,

Plant and animal studies

--Modification of a method used to mark Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) produced a technique suitable for color-marking Herring (Larus argentatus), Great Black-backed (L. marinus), and Laughing (L. atricilla) Gulls. Gulls marked themselves while incubating artificial eggs treated with a mixture of petroleum jelly and Rhodamine B. Marks persisted on gulls a minimum of 28-42 d. Low levels of mortality (0.05-0.27%) and nest destruction (0.46%) were associated with this technique. Substitution of Malachite Green for Rhodamine B proved ineffective, suggesting this method is best suited for water soluble dyes. T•,CNICA PARA MARCAR A GAVIOTAS CON COLORES DURANTE LA INCUBACI(•N Sinopsis.--Una modificaci6n del m6todo utilizado para marcar a garzas ganaderas (Bubulcus ibis) produjo una t6cnica adecuada para marcar con colores a individuos de Larus argentatus, L. marinus, 3⁄4 L. atricilla. Las gaviotas se marcaron a sl mismas mientras incubaban huevos artificiales tratados con una mezcla de vaselina 3⁄4 rodamina B. Las marcas permanecieron visibles en las gayiotas pot un mlnimo de 28-42 d. Bajos niveles de mortalidad (0.05-0.27%) 3⁄4 destrucci6n de nidos (0.46%) fueron asociodos a la t6cnica de marcar. Una sustituci6n de la rodamina B pot verde de malaquita prob6 set inefectiva, 1o que sugiere que el nuevo m6todo es mils adecuado para tintes solubles en agua. Paton and Pank (1986) described a technique that permitted the colormarking of large numbers of colonial birds with minimal disturbance. A mixture of silica gel and Rhodamine B powder was placed on Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) eggs, and egrets color-marked themselves while incubating. Paton and Pank (1986) suggested this method could be applied to light colored birds, such as other egrets and larids, but cautioned that the effect of the gel and dye mixture on egg survival was unknown. While investigating gull movements, we developed a marking technique, based on that of Paton and Pank (1986), that has minimal effect on egg and adult survival. Here we describe the technique and report on its effectiveness for marking three species of gulls.