First record of the breeding Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus Temminck, 1820 ) in Iran

We report the breeding of Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus from Shahid Kazemi dam, West Azerbaijan, Iran, which is considered the first breeding record for the species in Iran. Breeding attempts were monitored in the 2014-2015 breeding seasons at the Saidabad islet of Shahid Kazemi Dam, where Mediterranean Gulls bred in mixes-species colonies with Slender–billed and Black-headed Gulls. We recorded around 100 Mediterranean Gull nests in the Seidabad islet during the two breeding seasons. The modal clutch was a three-egg clutch. Nestlings weighed 27 gr at hatching and 358 gr prior to fledging. Our record in northwest Iran is suggesting that the species is expanding its breeding ranges probably as a result of variation in breeding grounds or climatic changes. Further investigations are needed to understand their breeding ecology and the causes and consequences of colony expansions.