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The Herring Gull is the most widely distributed gull in the Northern Hemisphere, and breeds across much of Canada. Surveys from the southern portion of its range indicate moderate decreases in abundance relative to about 1970, but information is lacking from much of the northern portion of the range. In the Great Lakes, high levels of contaminants hampered reproduction in recent decades, while accidental and chronic oil pollution pose a greater risk in the marine environments of Atlantic Canada (Pekarik and Weseloh 1998). This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
High levels of contaminants in the eggs of Herring Gulls in the Great Lakes dramatically reduced rates of hatching at some sites in the 1970s (Pekarik and Weseloh 1998). Levels of most harmful organochlorine compounds have since decreased (Pekarik and Weseloh 1998), but toxic substances in general remain a concern for Herring Gulls nesting near highly developed areas. In Atlantic Canada, accidental and chronic oil pollution are a threat in some locations. Also, changes in the intensity of fisheries and their waste management practices (i.e., a reduction in fish discards) affect food availability for this opportunistic scavenger (Pierotti and Good 1994, Wilhelm et al. 2016).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
