Seagulls are a common sight in White Rock, especially near the city’s popular pier, beach and waterfront promenade.
This month, researchers with Environment and Climate Change Canada are hoping those who visit the beach will take note of seagulls bearing colour bands, to help them study the health and habitat of the Salish Sea.
“The Salish Sea is a major major wintering area for gulls from all over the continent,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada research scientist Mark Hipfner, in a video tweeted by the city.
He noted that gulls seen in White Rock could come from Oregon, Alaska, Washington State as well as other parts of B.C.
This month, researchers from @environmentca are visiting White Rock to assess the health & habitat use of gulls in the Salish Sea. Watch this video & support this work by reporting sightings of colour-banded gulls at https://t.co/mf9iZ4An6N #WhiteRockBC pic.twitter.com/8KOAM8Tuya
— City of White Rock (@whiterockcity) February 15, 2024
Gulls are indicators of the health of the Salish Sea, he explained.
“Around the world, gulls are used as indicators of the health of marine ecosystems, so the project we do here in the Salish Sea sort of ties into a global collection of studies, so we can draw inference from our gulls and similar activities going on elsewhere that really provide some big-picture context,” Hipfner said.
Researchers will trap the gulls, take small blood samples and feather samples and use the data collected to measure the birds’ health, and putting bands on the birds as well.
“What we’re really hoping for is the people in White Rock… when they’re down just walking on the beaches, to look for the gulls with the bands – and if you can get a photo of it, then report it back to us online,” he said.
The video features a QR code that people can scan, or they can report the colour-banded gulls online as well.