Ozsemir, Arif CemalSonmez, EvrimZarrabi-Ahrabi, SalarGargili-Keles, AysenAkyildiz, Gurkan2026-04-252026-04-2520260168-81621572-9702https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-026-01112-3https://hdl.handle.net/11486/8190Ticks play an important role in the ecology of zoonotic diseases, however their diversity and host associations in insular ecosystems remain insufficiently documented in T & uuml;rkiye. We investigated tick occurrence on yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis) and within their nesting environment on Gull Island (Sinop, T & uuml;rkiye) between March and June 2025. A total of 574 gull chicks and 833 nests were examined, yielding eight tick specimens. Morphological examination and molecular analyses revealed three noteworthy observations: (i) the detection of an adult Ixodes ricinus female attached to a yellow-legged gull chick, representing a rare avian host record, (ii) the presence of a questing male Hyalomma marginatum on the island floor, and (iii) the first record of Ornithodoros maritimus in T & uuml;rkiye, confirmed by mitochondrial 16 S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The findings suggest that small insular habitats can be intermittently colonized by tick species of medical relevance, likely through host-mediated dispersal, while also highlighting ecological constraints that may limit long-term population establishment. These observations contribute to the faunistic knowledge of ticks in T & uuml;rkiye and underscore the need for targeted surveillance of seabird-associated soft ticks along coastal ecosystems.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessOrnithodoros maritimusIxodes ricinusHyalomma marginatumYellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis)TicksArticle96210.1007/s10493-026-01112-3416447812-s2.0-105029437496Q2WOS:001680760600001Q20000-0003-3543-061X0000-0002-8610-51740000-0002-2593-8826