The Ring-billed Gull breeds across much of Canada and the northern United States. Its breeding range continues to expand into northern Canada. The Breeding Bird Survey indicates that the species has exhibited a large increase in abundance in Canada since about 1970. Nevertheless, because it frequently overlaps with areas of intensive development, the species is exposed to a variety of anthropogenic threats. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The Ring-billed Gull frequently feeds in garbage dumps, where entanglement and ingestion of plastics can be problematic. Where abundant populations of Ring-billed Gull have caused conflicts with humans, management to control the species has occurred (Morris et al. 2011, Pollet et al. 2012). Accounts from the 1960s and 1970s documented potentially harmful burdens of organochlorine contaminants (e.g., Gilbertson and Reynolds 1974, Sileo et al. 1977). Although levels of some contaminants have since declined (Ryckman et al. 2005), others remain at potentially harmful levels in gulls of the Great Lakes.
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.
