Date: 8/11/10
Contact: Doug Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127 x 3500

GULLS IN THE DESERT?

Look up - it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a ... seagull? In the desert?

What are seagulls doing in the desert? The first thing a wildlife biologist would tell you is these birds are gulls, not seagulls. So proximity to the ocean, or lack of it, has nothing to do with the gulls’ presence in southern Nevada. In fact, gulls do live here and throughout the state, because habitat is available.

It’s true that these birds are more common near the ocean, but gulls occur all over the North American continent. Most people have heard the story of how gulls came to the valleys around the Great Salt Lake in Utah in 1848 and consumed the hordes of Mormon-crickets that were destroying the pioneers’ crops. These were a species named California gulls, which are actually native to the Great Salt Lake area. Though it sounds peculiar, the California gull is the state bird of Utah.

Usually they appear in flocks, but occasionally a lone gull may blow in with a storm. Although there are not large numbers of gulls in Southern Nevada, they do come inland to capitalize on urban development and its man-made lakes, restaurants, parking lots, and landfills. In the Las Vegas area, gulls are attracted to the Las Vegas wash and the Colorado River, as well as man-made ponds and dumps. They have adapted to consuming trash as a food source.

“Contrary to popular opinion, gulls are smart and watch for opportunities to snatch humans’ leftover food,” said Cris Tomlinson NDOW supervisory wildlife diversity biologist.

The most common species of gulls in Southern Nevada are the California and ring-billed gulls. “Occasionally unexpected gull species are observed in Southern Nevada, like the Sabine’s gull, Western gull and the Lesser Black –backed gull,” said Tracy Kipke, NDOW habitat biologist.

It’s most likely that the gull you see at Nevada’s lakes and ponds is the California gull. These birds are omnivorous and eat insects, mollusks, fish, small animals, and of course, garbage. An interesting fact about these gulls is that they can live about 20 years.

Gulls may seem more like urban pests, due to their propensity for garbage. However, they can be very useful for anglers. According to NDOW angler educator Chris Pietrafeso, “Gulls can be an aid to the fisherman in finding fish boils. Gulls often flock to a boil to feed upon shad that are on the surface trying to escape the feeding stripers.”

Gulls are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as by Nevada state law. These laws make it illegal to kill, capture or possess these birds without special permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by NDOW.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.