Zeebrugge (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In a national first, two great black-backed gull chicks hatched in Zeebrugge’s Brittanniadok, marking a milestone for Belgium’s coastal birdlife.
The Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) reported this in Zeebrugge, Belgium.
“A unique occurrence for our nature, because this impressive seabird normally only breeds in the far north”,
Flemish Minister of Agriculture Jo Brouns (CD&V) responded on social media.
“Thanks to a quiet breeding ground and sufficient food, a pair of seagulls chose Flanders this year to expand their family.”
“In our country, these gulls are known as migrants and winter visitors. That is why sightings are mainly reported in autumn and winter and much less in summer,”
Says Eric Stienen of the INBO on the website of the Flemish institute.
Why is the first breeding of great black-backed gull chicks in Belgium significant?
The extension of this huge seabird species into new breeding sites within Belgium, which signifies improvements in local habitat appropriateness and biodiversity, makes the first breeding of great black-backed gull chicks in Belgium noteworthy.
Ongoing changes in gull populations and their mating habits throughout the Belgian coast are reflected in the successful hatching at the Brittanniadok in Zeebrugge, a significant port region noted for housing big gull colonies.
This first breeding marks a significant range extension for the great black-backed gull, a huge and dominant gull species that has not mated successfully in Belgium before.
