Some Effects of Wing Tags on Breeding Ring-Billed Gulls

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Abstract
The effects of wing tags on breeding ring-billed gulls (L. delawarensis) were examined by comparing the performance of tagged birds with that of color-banded birds. During the year of marking, effects seemed minimal. The following year, however, substantial differences were observed between the 2 groups. Fewer tagged birds returned to the colony and those that did were 6 days later, on average, than banded birds. About 60% of the tagged females were unable to acquire mates in the year after marking, but tagged males paired without apparent problems. Mean hatching date of tagged birds was 3 days later than banded birds. A large proportion of this group failed to raise any young, principally because tags seemed to interfere with pairing. Wing tags also may have affected birds at later stages of the reproductive cycle, but brood sizes for successful tagged and banded birds were similar in the year after marking.

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