The provision of predictable anthropogenic food subsidies (PAFS) to urban wildlife has been recognized as an important trophic input in urban ecosystems. However, there is a lack of agreement about the benefits and harms of urban PAFS for avian species. While there are many studies about the impact of PAFS on birds, little information is available about the potential importance of PAFS on the ecology of urban gulls. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the importance of human PAFS for the urban population of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in the city of Barcelona, northeastern Spain. This opportunistic seabird is considered a pest species in urban areas. Specifically, by conducting a visual census in a location where PAFS were provided every week year-round, we examined the total number and age structure of gulls using this PAFS station. We identified the presence of yellow-legged gulls with some physical anomalies using the PAFS station. The results of this study suggest that PAFS may be an important artificial resource for urban yellow-legged gulls inhabiting Barcelona, used by either breeders or non-breeders, and also used by handicapped individuals. Based on these results, we suggest the regulation of this activity as a complement to other measures focused on the reduction of available food resources present in urban areas to manage this problematic species.

向城市野生生物提供可预测的人为食品补贴（PAFS）已被认为是城市生态系统中的重要营养投入。但是，关于城市PAFS对禽类的利弊还缺乏共识。尽管有许多关于PAFS对鸟类的影响的研究，但关于PAFS对城市海鸥生态的潜在重要性的信息很少。在本研究中，我们旨在评估人PAFS对黄腿鸥（Larus michahellis）城市人口的重要性），位于西班牙东北部的巴塞罗那市。这种机会性海鸟在市区被认为是有害生物。具体来说，通过在全年每周提供一次PAFS的地点进行视觉普查，我们使用该PAFS站检查了海鸥的总数和年龄结构。我们使用PAFS台站发现了黄腿鸥的存在和某些物理异常。这项研究的结果表明，PAFS可能是居住在巴塞罗那的城市黄脚海鸥的重要人工资源，无论繁殖者还是非繁殖者都使用，残障人士也可以使用。根据这些结果，我们建议对该活动进行管理，以作为其他措施的补充，这些措施的重点是减少城市地区现有的粮食资源以管理这一有问题的物种。