She's an Uptown Gull

It's that time of year: the gull chicks are getting too optimistic about their flying abilities.

Western Gull happily nesting on a rooftop. When there are fewer rocky coastlines to safely nest on, these opportunistic birds will make do with what is available. Photo: Paul Fenwick

On many rooftops in coastal cities around Monterey Bay, Western Gulls have been patiently incubating eggs since around May. Both the males and females incubate the eggs, with the expectant parents anxiously waiting for the first pips from their eggs roughly twenty eight days from the onset of incubation. With two to three chicks expected from the two to three-egg clutch, these precocial chicks are up and wandering around their rooftop home shortly after hatching. Once the young gulls are ready to start flying, they'll begin working out their flight muscles by flapping their wings and jumping around. Often they will misjudge their flight ability and glide down to the sidewalk or road, without the ability to fly back up. Their parents will keep feeding them, so it's not a big problem, unless they are near a road.

Western Gull chicks at around 25 days old. Their "big bird feathers", the flight feathers, are coming in on their wings. Photo: Karen Kreiger

When driving around downtown areas near the coast, it's imperative to keep an eye out for these speckled gray fledgling gulls loafing around in the traffic. They are nearly the size of adult gulls, but are dark gray instead of the classic white with a gray back. Please do not assume that a bird will fly out of the way of your car - slow down just in case. It'd be like if there was a kid wandering into traffic - you don't know what they're going to do so you slow down and give them room. These fledglings are so close to flying, and usually just need another week to get their flight feathers fully grown in. Then they can be better prepared for escaping danger. To be fair, they still are a bit dopey, given that they are just 45 days old, and may not react to cars quickly even if they are fully flighted. Again, just be extra vigilant as you drive around downtown areas where gulls are nesting.

Juvenile Western Gull in a parking lot. Can't fly just yet! Photo: iNaturalist user schmeebz

Western Gulls can live into their thirties. They are long-lived monogamous seabirds that are doting parents, key indicators of the health of the marine environment, and certainly taken for granted by us humans, even the birders! While these birds seem to be everywhere along the coast of Monterey Bay, they are in fact not very widespread globally, and have suffered steep declines in recent years. The eBird Status & Trends website shows that Western Gulls have decreased by an astonishing 22% in California since 2012. That's not good. Give these birds some space and some grace in your outings around town. This is a short, critical time for them to get their chicks up and in the air.

If you find an injured bird in Monterey County you should contact the SPCA for Monterey County. Their phone number is listed below.

Wildlife Center Phone Number: (831) 264-5427