From parking lots to landfills, 22 of these flying scavengers roam the Prairie State. of Illinois: Beaut ies or beasts?

Story By Sheryl DeVore Photos By Vic Berardi

n a sunny February to the with descriptive Many consider gulls flying scavengers, day—with tempera - names such as ring-billed , Iceland a characteristic exploited by birders tures predicted to be gull and great black-backed gull. and photographers attending the only in the teens— The call of a “seagull” as its white people stand on the form plies the sky over the ocean con - annual Winthrop Harbor Gull Frolic. OLake Michigan shoreline in Winthrop tinues to be equated with a peaceful Harbor. Wearing layers for warmth, walk along the sandy shoreline. But increased in Illinois and elsewhere, also knit hats and sturdy gloves, they peer today, gulls, whose numbers have are considered nuisances on beaches, through binoculars and spotting scopes in parking lots and at nesting sites of (-watching telescopes) trying to rare . Gulls also are becoming find an unusual gull. more popular with birders. “There’s an adult Iceland,” someone “They are challenging to identify calls, while others respond, “Where?” and there’s always a chance at finding a and “Oh, isn’t it beautiful? It’s so really extraordinary species,” said white.” Meanwhile, several gull experts Chicagoan and gull expert Robert are tossing loaves of stale bread into the Hughes, who has seen nearly all of the water to bring the rare birds in closer. 22 species of gulls identified in Illinois. This is the scene at the annual Gull “Gulls haven’t been separated genetical - Frolic sponsored by the Illinois Ornitho - ly for long, compared with other birds.” logical Society and other birding groups. That means they are closely related Those who come to this social and bird - and often have only subtle plumage dif - ing occasion, on seemingly the coldest ferences. Add that to the fact that gulls day of the year, never look the same way change their plumages as many as eight again at the noisy scavengers called gulls. times while they mature, and you’ve def - In fact, gull-watching can actually cure initely got an identification challenge. cabin fever, at least for a day, and also The word “seagull” is a misnomer, offer a sense of appreciation for a group of 30 North American species belonging December 2009 Outdoor Illinois / 15 In adult plumage, the great black-backed gull hatching. Officials also used dogs to is easy to identify. It’s big, with a dark back scare gulls away. Some birders think the gulls are being used as scapegoats for a and a huge bill. Numbers of this European problem with many causes. species have been increasing in Illinois. Gulls also prey on the eggs of other birds, and have made it difficult for the which protects these and other birds. state-endangered to suc - Ring-billed gull numbers began to cessfully raise young in northern Illi - rise after the treaty was passed; by nois, said Brad Semel of the Depart - ) . 1930, the Great Lakes region had about ment of Natural Resources. He is work - s e h g

u 3,000 nesting pairs and by 1967 there ing to keep this tern on the state’s list H t r e

b were more than 300,000 nesting pairs, of breeding species. o R y

b according to a paper written by D.V. “Gull predation also may be causing o t o

h Weseloh and H. Blokpoel for the Cana - the decline of the common nighthawk P ( dian Ministry. in the Chicago area,” said Steven D. Bai - since many gulls spend most of their In Illinois, gull numbers in general ley, an ornithologist with the Illinois time in or near fresh water. In fact, (not only ring-billed gulls) increased even Natural History Survey. many gulls cruise over active landfills more between the 1940s and the 1990s. As landfills, which attract gulls, close looking for whatever’s edible—which “This increase in numbers did not and are capped, some experts expect is just about anything. (A , happen by accident,” wrote gull expert numbers of the common species, a dark-headed bird with a red bill, has Jim Landing in an article published in taken residence at a Chicago-area fast- “Meadowlark: A Journal of Illinois Birds.” food restaurant, snatching spilled Landing, who recently passed away, A beginner’s guide to French fries for his supper.) wrote that gulls thrive in degraded envi - gull identification Gulls can be seen in Illinois year- ronments, “and are attracted to the round loafing and feeding at downstate worst examples of land use and human tart first by looking for the more Snumerous ring-billed and herring reservoirs such as Carlyle Lake and Lake habitat known.” He linked the increase gulls, both with grayish backs. The her - Springfield, along the Lake Michigan of gulls in Illinois to increased air, water ring is larger with pink legs. The ring- shoreline, along rivers and at locks and and land pollution, as well as the prolif - billed has yellow legs. Then search for other gulls with the following traits. dams where water is open in winter, as eration of landfills. Dark-mantled gulls: Great black- well as at landfills and even in shopping Recently, ring-billed gulls have been backed gull, huge with a massive bill mall parking lots. Gulls eat fish and the blamed for E. coli outbreaks, which and pink legs; lesser black-backed gull, smaller overall with yellow legs. young and eggs of other birds, but caused beach closings along Lake Michi - White-winged gulls: Mostly seen in when garbage is readily available, gan. The City of Chicago estimated that fall and winter. Iceland and glaucous they’re on it. Different species come ring-billed gull numbers along the beach gulls have no dark markings on their and go with the seasons. rose by 31 percent between 1980 and wingtips. The Iceland is much smaller. Dark-headed gulls: Bonaparte’s gull The most in Illinois, the 2004. Gull waste contributed to the E. (L. philadelphia ), a small, tern-like gull ring-billed gull ( delawarensis ), coli outbreaks, according to the city, with a dark head, commonly is seen has a light gray back, white head and which has since oiled eggs where gulls during migration, mostly at large, downstate reservoirs and along Lake underparts, yellow bill with a black ring were nesting to prevent young from Michigan. Much less common are near the tip, and yellow legs. The ring- laughing gull ( L. atricilla ) and billed can be found year-round in Illi - Franklin’s gull ( L. pipixcan ). nois, with many migrating to southern Illinois and farther south in winter. In the late 19th century, the ring- billed and other gull species were killed along with egrets and terns to retrieve white feathers for ladies’ hats. These species suffered drastic declines, prompt - ing the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty Act between and the ,

The is a winter visitor to Illinois and has much lighter wings than the more common ring-billed gulls.

16 / Outdoor Illinois December 2009 The is a common gull in Illinois, increasing in numbers during winter when some come from the north to feed in Lake Michigan and other lager bodies of water. including the ring-billed gull, to stabi - lize. Gull populations have begun declining along the East Coast, accord - ing to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports. Gull expert Walter Reid, who spoke at the 2009 Gull Frolic, said, “Because of the capping of landfills and 9th Annual IOS (Illinois Ornitholog - decreased air and land pollution, gull United States, including Illinois—first the ical Society) Gull Frolic at Winthrop numbers might be stabilizing or even great black-backed gull ( L. marinus ) and Harbor Yacht Club, Saturday, declining.” the lesser black-backed gull ( L. fuscus ). February 20, 8 a.m. Meanwhile, birders are becoming “It’s the biggest gull in the world,” e’re chumming in gulls and ducks. more savvy with gull identification and said Hughes of the great black-backed. “It WBring your binoculars, scope and more interested in adding new species has a very dark, almost black, back and a cold-weather gear. Experts will be avail - able to help ID and answer questions. to their life lists. large bill. It’s a big, mean-looking gull.” Directions: To reach the Winthrop Hughes’ favorite gull often is seen in Those tell-tale characteristics make Harbor Yacht Club take the I-94 toll mid to late September, albeit just one this gull species easy to identify. road north toward Milwaukee. Exit at Route 173. Turn right (east) and go to or two and often in juvenile plumage, These two dark-mantled gulls seem Sheridan Road (Rt. 137). Turn left and at Lake Carlyle in southern Illinois. It’s to fluctuate in numbers and are much proceed to 7th Street. Turn right on the rare Sabine’s gull ( Xema sabini ) , more common in winter in northeastern 7th Street and follow the North Point which breeds in the high Arctic and Illinois than any other part of the state. Marina signs to the yacht club. Fee: $10 registration fee includes con - spends most of the year in the ocean. In winter, the ring-billed gulls tinental breakfast, lunch, drinks, facility Birders take a boat onto the lake each migrate southward, becoming more and speaker. This fee will help defray September hoping to spot the gull, numerous in southern Illinois, while facility expenses. Any surplus will go to the IOS Grant Program to benefit Illi - which has a striking, pied-wing pattern, herrings gulls ( L. argentatus ), which nois birds and birding. appearing like an M-shape that frames look similar, but are larger and have Additional information posted at illinois white triangular patches. pink legs, become more numerous in birds.org. About 20 years ago, two European northern Illinois, retreating to the species of gulls began populating the harsher climates farther north. Birders look for the rare, but regular ( L. glaucoides ) and glau - Where and how to watch gulls in winter cous gull ( L. hyperboreus ) in winter, mostly found in northeastern Illinois, ou can watch gulls any time of year, but the best time to get a nice collection of but moving south along rivers and Ydifferent species is in late fall through winter wherever there is some open water (or landfills). Here are some good gull-watching spots in Illinois. wherever they can find open water. “The Iceland and glaucous gulls are NORTH I North Point Marina , Winthrop Harbor—For an introduction to gull-watching and from the high Arctic and come down lots of experts available to tell you what you’re seeing, attend the annual Gull Frolic. Hudson Bay and fly over Canada to win - Visit www.illinoisbirds.org for details on the 2010 frolic. ter on the northeast coast and west to Chicago lakefront I —Many gulls loaf and fly along the beach throughout the year; the Great Lakes,” said Hughes. These and birders are typically available to help identify them. Montrose Harbor is a popular gull-watching spot. species have light wings compared I Starved Rock State Park , Utica—Park by the Army Corps of Engineer Lock and with the ring-billed and herring, and Dam Visitor Center off Dee Bennett Road, where bald eagles, gulls and ducks can be they have no dark tips at the edge of found. their wings. CENTRAL Gull-watchers toss bread where I Lake Springfield —Drive around the lake, pulling off where it’s safe to view gulls and ducks. these birds frequent in winter to get a closer look. SOUTH I Carlyle Lake —The fall and winter of 2008/2009 was a banner one for finding Said Hughes, “Winter would be some unusual varieties, said Dan Kassebaum, a southern Illinois gull expert. Best unbearable in Chicago if there weren’t places to go include the beach and the dam. “If the lake completely freezes, nearly any gulls.” all the gulls will move down river to the power plant or locks and dams along the Mississippi River,” said Kassebaum. December 2009 Outdoor Illinois / 17