LC
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
L. michahellis and L. armenicus (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as L. michahellis following a review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group. Prior to that, L. armenicus had been split and L. cachinnans (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) had been lumped with L. michahellis as L. cachinnans following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2014 Least Concern
2013 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2010 Least Concern
2008 Not Recognised
2004 Not Recognised
2000 Not Recognised
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 5,820,000 km2
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 20,400,000 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend increasing - estimated -
Generation length 12.4 years - - -

Population justification: Global population size is unknown owing to recent taxonomic splits. The European population is estimated at 54,100-87,500 pairs, which equates to 108,000-175,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: The population is estimated to be increasing (BirdLife International 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Afghanistan extant native yes
Albania extant native yes
Armenia extant native yes
Azerbaijan extant native yes
Bahrain extant vagrant yes yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina extant native yes
Bulgaria extant native yes yes
China (mainland) extant native yes
Djibouti extant native yes
Egypt extant native yes
Eritrea extant native yes
Ethiopia extant native yes
Georgia extant native yes
India extant native yes
Iran, Islamic Republic of extant native yes yes
Iraq extant native yes yes
Israel extant native yes yes
Jordan extant native yes yes
Kazakhstan extant native yes
Kuwait extant native yes yes
Lebanon extant native yes
Maldives extant vagrant
Nepal extant vagrant
Oman extant native yes yes
Pakistan extant native yes
Palestine extant native yes yes
Qatar extant native yes
Romania extant native yes yes
Russia extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes
Saudi Arabia extant native yes
Somalia extant native yes
Sri Lanka extant vagrant
Syria extant native yes yes
Türkiye extant native yes
Ukraine extant native yes yes
United Arab Emirates extant native yes yes
Uzbekistan extant native yes
Yemen extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Azerbaijan Absheron archipelago (north) and Pirallahi bay
Azerbaijan Gizilagach
Azerbaijan Glynanyi island (and Alat bay)
Azerbaijan Shahdidi spit
Iran, Islamic Republic of Bahu Kalat (Gandu) Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of Bandar Kiashar lagoon and mouth of Sefid Rud
Iran, Islamic Republic of Bushire Bay
Iran, Islamic Republic of Chahbahar Bay and Khor Konarak
Iran, Islamic Republic of Hilleh Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of Khor Jask
Iran, Islamic Republic of Khouran Straits
Iran, Islamic Republic of Lake Alagol, Lake Ulmagol and Lake Ajigol
Iran, Islamic Republic of Miankaleh Peninsula and Gorgan Bay
Iran, Islamic Republic of Pozam - Maytab coast
Iran, Islamic Republic of Rud-i-Shur, Rud-i-Shirin and Rud-i-Minab deltas
Iran, Islamic Republic of Shadegan marshes and tidal mudflats of Khor-al Amaya and Khor Musa
Israel Carmel coast
Israel Zevulun valley
Oman Al Batinah coast
Oman Khawr Shinas and Khawr Liwa
Oman Quriyat - Daghmar
Oman Ras al Hadd
Romania Black Sea
Romania Lake Taşaul
Romania Suhaia
Russia (European) Beglitskaya sand-spit
Russia (European) Dadynskiye lakes
Russia (European) Delta of the River Don
Russia (European) Khanskoye Lake
Russia (European) Kiziltash limans
Russia (European) Kizlyar Bay
Russia (European) Utrish Reserve and adjacent coastal waters
Russia (European) Yeiski salt-lakes
Saudi Arabia Gulf of Salwah
Saudi Arabia Sabkhat al-Fasl lagoons
Saudi Arabia Tarut Bay
Syria Buhayrat al-Assad
Türkiye Bosphorus
Türkiye Gediz Delta
Ukraine Budats'kyj lyman
Ukraine Karkinits'ka and Dzharylgats'ka bays
Ukraine Kazantip Cape, Aktash lake and Astanins'ka marsh
Ukraine Kugurluj and Kartal lakes
Ukraine Molochnyj Liman
Ukraine Sasyk lake
Ukraine Shagany-Alibej-Burnas lake-system
Ukraine Syvash Bay
Ukraine Tyligul's'kyj lyman
Ukraine Utlyuk lyman
Ukraine Yagorlyts'ka and Tendrivs'ka Bays

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Salt Exploitation Sites suitable breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over 8ha) suitable breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Pastureland suitable breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Urban Areas suitable non-breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Intertidal Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Pollution Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/caspian-gull-larus-cachinnans on 04/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 04/12/2024.