Tracking ring-billed gulls

More than 10,000 ring-billed gulls have been marked near Montreal, Quebec with individually coded bands to track their movements throughout their annual cycle. We are more specifically interested by their post-breeding dispersal and their fidelity to their colony. Repeated observations of individuals also allow us to estimate annual survival. This is part of a larger study that aimed at understanding the behavior and population dynamics of these birds within an integrated management framework.

Ring-billed gulls have been marked with blue or yellow plastic band with 3 distinct alphanumeric codes plus a US Fish & Wildlife Service steel band. If you can take a picture that shows the color band and send it to us, we will be able to confirm your observation. If you see a marked bird, please report your observation on our web site at http://goeland.uqam.ca/index.php/en/rapporter-une-observation-an. We will send you information about where and when the bird was banded and whether it has been observed since its marking.