Effects of feral mink removal on seabirds, waders and passerines on small islands in the Baltic Sea |
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| Authors: | Mikael Nordström Jouko Högmander Jukka Nummelin Erkki Korpimäki |
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| Institution: | a Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finlandb Metsähallitus—Forest and Park Service, Natural Heritage Services, Southern Finland, FIN-21660 Nauvo, Finlandc Bureau of Environment, City of Turku, Linnankatu 61, FIN-20100 Turku, Finlandd Kalevi 69-1, EE-Tartu 50 103, Estonia |
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| Abstract: | We studied the effects of removing introduced American mink (Mustela vison) on the number of birds breeding on small islands in the Baltic Sea. During autumn 1992-2001 mink were removed from a 72 km2 area, while mink were not removed from a 35 km2 control area. Second removal (125 km2) and control areas (130 km2) were established during 1998-2001. The breeding densities of ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) and rock pipit (Anthus petrosus) increased markedly in the removal areas in comparison to the control areas. Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), common gull (Larus canus) and wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) also appeared to increase. Two species already extinct in one of the removal areas, razorbill (Alca torda) and black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), returned to breed in the area. Breeding densities of great black-backed gull (Larus marinus), oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) and white wagtail (Motacilla alba) were unaffected. We conclude that it is possible to remove feral mink from large archipelagos with many small islands, and that mink removal increases the breeding densities of many bird species in this habitat. |
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| Keywords: | Biodiversity in archipelago Breeding densities of birds Feral mink management Introduced predator Mustela vison |
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