1870 km from their natal colony. During migration, a In November, 12 gulls (75%)wererecoveredonLake Fall Migration and Wintering Areas total of75 encounters occurred in September(32), Oct Erie with the majority being located in the western end of First Year Herring Gulls (27) and November (16). Recoveries during the winter ofthe lake. One gull was found in the west end ofLake months accounted for 24 reports. Ontario and another was found along the St. Lawrence from the Western Basin of Lake Erie Seaway at Montreal, Quebec. A single gull was found In September, 72% (23) ofthe recoveries were in Lake near the Ohio River in southwest Ohio and one on the Erie, with most gulls found in the west end ofthe lake. Bruce Buckingham east shore ofLake Huron. colonies, especially those in Lake Erie. I report on the Gulls were also found on the south side ofLake Ontario 815 Jackson Drive fall migration and winter band returns resulting from a (3), central New York State (2), the Vermont/New The winter recoveries were concentrated in the Port Clinton, OH 43452 long-term banding study conducted at three Herring Hampshire boarder ( 1), New York City ( 1), the New following three areas: easternLakeErie(11 birds), the [email protected] Gull colonies in Lake Erie in order to give insight as to Jersey shore (1) and the interior ofNova Scotia (1 ). west end of the Gulf of Mexico ( 4 birds) and the where these gulls spend the winter. ABSTRACT Chesapeake Bay/New Jerseycoast(3 birds; see Fig. During Oct, 63% (17) ofthe recoveries were located 1). Although recoveries were concentrated in these METHODS Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) populations in the mainly in the east end ofLake Erie. Five gulls were areas, gulls within these areas were encountered lower Great Lakes are declining. Knowledge of the located on the north side ofLake Ontario; in addition, Nestling Herring Gulls were banded at three colonies in randomly throughout the 34 years of data collection. migration patterns and wintering areas of gulls may one gull was reported in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. the western basin ofLake Erie (Clinton Reef[413- The ~emaining six birds were recovered one each in provide insight to where management efforts may be Three additional gulls were found inland, one in Ohio 0825], Sandusky Bay Turning Point [412-0824] and Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Ohio and plus two in best applied. Nesting Herring Gulls were banded in and two in Ontario, and one gull was found in the north Michigan. All recoveries were associated with large three colonies in the western basin of Lake Erie from Cedar Point [412-0824]) from 1981 to 2015 .All three end of Chesapeake Bay. bodies of water, such as oceans, the Great Lakes or 1981 to 2015 to determine their migration patterns colonies are on man-made locations, one an island and and wintering areas. The main wintering areas for two stone break walls (Buckingham and Bacak 2011 ). large lakes or rivers. the gulls was located in eastern Lake Erie. Two other Two colonies, Sandusky Bay Turning Point and Cedar areas were noted along the Chesapeake Bay to New Point, are located near Sandusky, OH. The Clinton Jersey coast line and the western part of the Gulf of Reef colony is located near Port Clinton, OH. Mexico. Band recoveries showed three possible migration routes: the Saint Lawrence Seaway, Nestling Herring Gulls, one- to three-weeks-old, were overland through central New York, arid the Ohio/ banded with size 6 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mississippi River system. Efforts to stabilize the Lake bands on their right leg during the breeding season of Erie Herring Gull population should be focused on May and June of each year. Only recoveries of gulls the Lake Erie breeding colonies. going through their first winter were used in the analysis. Recoveries during September through November INTRODUCTION were assumed to reflect migration routes (hereafter erringGull Laru:ar ent1tus) p pulationsinthe referred to as fall migration) and recoveries from Dec, HlowerGreat Lakes nnd Saint Lawr nee plain have Jan and Feb (hereafter referred to as the wintering area) decreased approximately 3. 9 %per year from 1966 - were used to define the wintering areas. Gull recoveries 2013 (Saueretal. 2014). Since the late 1990s I have with a USGS Bird Banding Laboratory "How seen the Herring Gull colonies in the western basin of obtained" code of50, 56, 70, and98 werenotuseddue Lake Erie decline due to changes in vegetation and to the lack ofreliable data. Gulls recovered within 10 mi predation at the colonies. Trees have invaded former [ = 16.1 km] of the shoreline of Lake Erie were open areas and clutches have disappeared before considered part ofthe lake's recovery zone. completion. The Clinton Reef colony and Cedar Point RESULTS sites are still active to a lesser degree but fledge almost no gulls. Knowledge on dispersal and areas used by A total of 25,23 7 nestling Herring Gulls were banded e Wlnter reco¥ery A September recovery these gulls throughout the life cycle are important for at the three nesting colonies. Recoveries throughout the • October recovery ·their management. Numerous studies on Herring Gull studywerereportedon366 gulls (1.45%) ofall ages of migration, primarily from the upper Great Lakes, have which 99 were banded as nestlings (0.4%) and beencompleted(Smith 1959,Moore 1976, Weseloh recovered during their first migration and first winter. Fig. 1. Winter recoveries and select migration recoveries of Herring Gulls banded at Lake Erie. 1984, Gabrey 1996) yet little is known about select Recoveries ofHatching- Year gulls were located up to Page 52 North American Bird Bander Vol. 41 No.2 Apr. - Jun. 2016 North American Bird Bander Page 53 • DISCUSSION traveling here to winter, this coast line would account for from other studies examining Herring Gull migration Hebert, C.E. 1998. Winter severity affects migration from the Great Lakes. Alth:ough over half of the and contaminant accumulation in northern Great Food availability, winter severity, and landfills can affect 25% ofthe wintering gulls. Except for one gull found south of Cape Canaveral, FL, all recoveries from Hatching-YeargullsmigrateoutoftheLakeErieregion, Lakes Herring Gulls. Ecological Applications fall migration and where a gull spends the winter a sizeable proportion ofthe Lake Erie bred birds remain 8:669-679. (Kihlman and Larsson 1974, Patton 1988, Hebert September to the end ofFebruary on the Atlantic coast were reported in this corridor. Since Herring Gulls feed in this region, thus management efforts to stabilize the Hofslund, P.B. 1959. Fall migration of Herring Gulls 1998). In a typical winter, Lake Erie is predominately from Knife Island, MN. Bird-Banding 30: 104- primarily on bodies of water, the Atlantic coast line population may best be applied within this area. ice free in the eastern end where deeper water, major 114. offers an ideal wintering area. Threlfall (1978), in a study Wintering areas along the Saint Lawrence River, Mid­ tributaries, and a dominant southwest wind offer open Atlantic and Gulf ofMexico coast not only play host to Kihlman, J. andL. Larsson. 1974. On the importance of ofHerring Gulls dispersal from Newfoundland, also refuse dumps as a food source for wintering water and feeding areas. Most adult gulls remain in Lake a much smaller number ofLake Erie gulls but the area found a large concentration ofrecoveries within the Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) .. Scandina­ Erie, whereas first year gulls tend to migrate away from of use is spread throughout the associated regions the lake (unpublished data, Gabrey 1996). However, Delaware to New York City region. vian Journal of Ornithology 5:63-70. thereby making management efforts more difficult to Moore, F .R. 197 6. The dynamics ofseasonal distribution Lake Erie remains an important wintering area for The west end of the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to implement. hatching -year gulls as I have had a 46% recovery rate, of Great Lakes Herring Gulls. Bird-Banding Louisiana was another wintering concentration for Lake 47:141-159. while others have reported lower rates of recovery ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Erie gulls .In addition to the four gulls recovered in this Patton, S.R. 1988. Abundance of gulls at Tampa Bay (36% by Moore 1976; 44% by Gabrey 1996). area, there were two inland recoveries in Texas and This project would have been impossible without the landfills. Wilson Bulletin I 00:431-442. eastern Arkansas that while not on the Gulfcoast also Sauer, J., J.E. Hines, J.E. Fallon, K.L. Pardieck, D.J. Some studies suggest fall migration starts in November ' help ofthe many people over the years who braved the A. (Moore 197 6, Gabrey 1996) but data from this study supports a movement toward the western Gulf. I also thrill ofgull colony banding. Tom Seamans ofthe USDA Ziolkowski, Jr. and W. Link. 2014. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, results shows some migration starting as early as September. had two recoveries at South Padre Island, TX, that field office in Sandusky, OH, provided reviews of were on skeletons; therefore, I did not use them in my and analysis 1966-2013, version 01.30.2015. Over 28% (9 gulls) ofthe September recove~ies were earlier versions of this manuscript which is greatly USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center outsideofLakeEriewiththreeoftheninemigralinggulls analysis butthey do indicate that the gulls had visited the appreciated. Texas coast. Ifyou add in the all the extra reports near Laurel, MD http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.govf making it to the Atlantic coast. bbs/bbs.html the gulf, the west end ofthe Gulf ofMexico shows this LITERATURE CITED Smith, J.W. 1959. Movements of Michigan Herring Within Lake Erie, I noted a departure from the west end is an import wintering area.