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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Herring Gull
(Larus rgentatus) M, W |
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RANGE: Breeds from northern Alaska and northern
Yukon to central Keewatin, western Baffin Island, and northern
Labrador south to south-central British Columbia, central
Alberta, northern Minnesota, northeastern Illinois, northern
Ohio, northern New York, and along the Atlantic Coast to
northeastern South Carolina. Winters from southern Alaska, the
Great Lakes region, and Newfoundland south, mostly at sea and
along coasts, large rivers and lakes, to Panama.
STATUS: Abundant.
HABITAT: Uses a wide variety of habitats, including sandy,
rocky, or wooded islands, stabilized sand dunes, margins of
tundra lakes, Spartina marshes, cliffs, grass meadows, and
buildings. In winter, occurs primarily along the shore of the
ocean or other bodies of water, concentrating on beaches and in
areas where food is likely to be abundant.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Nesting sites must be free of
terrestrial predators and within 25 miles of a dependable source
of food.
NEST: Usually nests in exposed sites on the ground in small to
large colonies, but occasionally in trees. Prefers to nest in
low sites; depending on habitat may nest at the base of
boulders, stumps, or bushes on grassy slopes, near large, tall
clumps of vegetation, on drift adjacent to salt marshes, or on
rock or grassy substrates.
FOOD: Feeds opportunistically in garbage dumps, around
seafood-processing operations, in pastures and cultivated
fields, on lawns, tundra, and beaches, and at sea. Consumes
largely animal matter, including small mammals, birds and bird
eggs, amphibians, fishes, shellfishes, and a great variety of
invertebrates, plus berries and some fruit, as well as carrion
and, at times, garbage.
IN CENTRAL : Uncommon to rare transient from mid-October
through mid-May. Most easily found among concentrations of other
gull species at larger lakes and reservoirs in the region,
especially Wickiup Reservoir. Records also from along the
Deschutes River.
REFERENCES: Burger and Shisler 1978, Clapp et al. 1983, Cramp
and Simmons 1983, Forbush and May 1955, Miller 1999, Shunk 2004. |
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