Seagulls are a common sight at beaches, harbors and coastal towns during the summer months. But when winter arrives, the gulls seem to disappear. Where do they go? And how do they survive the cold winter months?
Quick Facts About Seagulls
- There are around 50 species of gulls worldwide.
- The most common species in North America are Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls and Laughing Gulls.
- Seagulls are opportunistic eaters and will eat anything from fish and crustaceans to insects, worms and even garbage.
- They can drink salt water as they have special glands that filter out the salt.
- Seagulls are highly adaptable birds and have learned to thrive around humans and urban environments.
Many people assume seagulls simply migrate south for the winter to warmer climates. But the truth is more complex than that. While some gull populations do migrate over long distances, others have adapted in different ways to deal with harsh winter conditions.
Do Seagulls Migrate for Winter?
Some species of seagulls do migrate south in the winter, including:
- Laughing Gulls – They breed along the Atlantic coast and migrate to the Caribbean and South America for winter.
- Franklin’s Gulls – They nest inland around prairie lakes and migrate south through Central America all the way to Peru and Chile.
- Black-headed Gulls – They breed across northern Europe and Asia and migrate south to the Mediterranean, northern Africa and the Middle East.
For these long-distance migrants, the effort to fly thousands of miles pays off with plentiful food and comfortable temperatures year-round.
However, many other seagulls adopt a different strategy and stick it out through winter in their breeding range or make much shorter migrations.
Seagulls That Tough It Out Locally
For seagulls that overwinter locally, survival depends on a few key adaptations:
- Fat Reserves – Seagulls build up fat reserves in fall to provide energy through lean winter months.
- Feather Insulation – Their feathers provide excellent insulation from the cold.
- Shift Food Sources – In winter, gulls expand their diet to include more terrestrial prey like earthworms, insects and rodents.
- Behavioural Adaptations – They conserve energy, tuck their heads into their back feathers, and huddle together to stay warm.
Some examples of seagulls that overwinter locally include:
- Herring Gulls – Common across northeastern North America. Many remain along the Atlantic coast or move slightly inland.
- Ring-billed Gulls – Breed across Alaska, Canada and the Great Lakes. Most migrate short distances south within North America.
- European Herring Gulls – Nest across northern Europe. Many remain around the British Isles and North Sea through winter.
These gulls may not enjoy balmy temperatures, but they can endure the cold. Frozen lakes and oceans also mean fewer predators, so there are benefits to staying put.
Key Winter Habitats
Seagulls rely on certain habitats and food sources to help them survive cold winters:
Coastlines
Coastal areas offer the most reliable food supply, as gulls can hunt for fish, mollusks, crustaceans and marine worms along shorelines. Bays, harbors and river estuaries tend to stay ice-free and attract high densities of overwintering gulls.
Landfills and Urban Areas
Gulls have adapted well to manmade environments. Landfills provide a bounty of food scraps year-round. And cities offer warmth, shelter and handouts from humans. Many gulls shift inland to take advantage of these resources through winter.
Large Inland Lakes and Reservoirs
Some gulls overwinter on the Great Lakes and larger inland lakes where they can still access fish and aquatic foods even when much of the surrounding land is frozen over. Dams and hydroelectric reservoirs also create areas of open water.
Coastal Lagoons and Estuaries
Protected coastal lagoons, mudflats and estuaries provide calm waters and abundant food. Worms, shellfish and small fish remain available through winter in these habitats.
Aerial Feeding Over Open Water
On cold days, gulls conserve energy by soaring on wind currents and feeding aerially. This allows them to scan large areas for food while avoiding icy or snow-covered ground.
| Winter Habitat | Key Food Sources |
|---|---|
| Coastlines | Fish, crabs, mussels, marine worms |
| Landfills | Garbage, food waste |
| Inland Lakes | Fish, crayfish, aquatic invertebrates |
| Coastal Lagoons | Worms, shellfish, small fish |
Surviving Harsh Winter Weather
In addition to finding food, seagulls need adaptations and survival strategies for coping with freezing temperatures, wind, snow and ice:
Insulating Feathers
Seagulls have dense layers of waterproof feathers that insulate their bodies. They keep air trapped close their skin to prevent heat loss.
Reduced Activity Levels
In severe cold, gulls lower their activity levels to conserve energy. They’ll remain huddled in groups and tuck their heads into their back feathers to retain warmth.
Short-term Torpor
Seagulls can enter short periods of torpor – a temporary lowered body temperature and metabolic rate. This helps preserve energy when food is scarce.
Roosting in Sheltered Sites
Gulls seek out sheltered roost sites like conifers or building ledges that block wind. This reduces their heat loss at night or during storms.
Drinking Freshwater, Not Seawater
Seawater has lower freezing temperatures than freshwater. In winter, gulls rely more on freshwater sources to avoid the risk of their throats literally freezing up.
Preening Oil
Gulls spread preen oil over their feathers to seal and waterproof them. Well-oiled feathers retain more warmth and resist water penetration.
Seeking Heat Sources
Some gulls congregate near artificial heat sources from factories, power plants or buildings to warm up.
Avoiding Ice Entrapment
In freezing conditions, gulls must beware of ice. They avoid landing on ice that could freeze up or get stuck in freezing water.
| Survival Adaptation | Description |
|---|---|
| Insulating Feathers | Traps air close to the skin to retain heat |
| Reduced Activity | Conserves energy in cold weather |
| Short-term Torpor | Temporarily lowers body temperature and metabolism |
| Sheltered Roost Sites | Blocks wind and reduces heat loss |
Diet and Foraging in Winter
Seagulls exhibit amazing flexibility in their diet as the seasons change. Here are some of their key food sources and foraging strategies in winter:
Coastal Bays and Harbors
Seagulls forage in coastal areas for fish, crabs, mussels and other marine prey. Food remains available as long as the water doesn’t freeze completely.
Gulls Follow Fishing Boats
In harbors, gulls gather to pick up waste scraps discarded by fishing vessels cleaning their catch.
Scavenging at Landfills
Landfills provide a critical food source for many gull flocks in winter. The birds eat garbage, scraps and organic waste.
Crowd Feeding
When they locate a large food source, gulls gather in large flocks and engage in crowd feeding. This helps ensure each bird gets its share.
Predation of Rodents and Small Birds
Some gulls turn to small rodents, songbirds, ducklings and eggs to supplement their diet in winter.
Earthworms and Insects
On warmer winter days, gulls probe soil and grass for earthworms and larvae. Nightcrawlers stranded by early thaws also become easy prey.
Feeding at Sewage Outflows
Sewage effluent flowing into rivers or the ocean provides nutrients that attract marine life. Gulls gather at these outflows to feed on invertebrates.
Stealing Food from Other Birds
Gulls may rob food from other waterfowl species through kleptoparasitism. This allows them to conserve energy searching for their own food.
| Foraging Method | Key Food Sources |
|---|---|
| Coastal Bays & Harbors | Fish, crabs, mussels |
| Fishing Boats | Discarded scraps |
| Landfills | Garbage, organic waste |
| Rodent & Bird Predation | Rodents, ducklings, eggs |
Coping With Blizzards and Severe Snow
On occasion, winter storms can bring conditions too extreme even for hardy seagulls. They use the following strategies to deal with blizzards, deep snow and ice:
Migrating Short Distances
Some gull flocks make short-term movements south during the worst winter weather. They may migrate just far enough to escape the storm.
Sitting Out the Storm
Gulls will remain hunkered down on the ground or water and simply wait out a severe blizzard. They conserve energy until conditions improve.
Seeking Shelter
When faced with heavy snow, gulls seek out any sheltered refuge they can find. They may hide under piers, trees, overhangs or even vehicles.
Forming Dense Flocks
In extreme cold, gulls form tight flocks both in the air and on the ground. This reduces heat loss from each individual bird.
Altering Foraging Habits
Rather than expend energy searching widely, gulls stick close to the most reliable food sources during storms. They may become more dependent on landfills.
Clearing Snow
To access buried food, gulls clearing aside snow with their bills and feet. They also track plows and snow blowers to uncover hidden morsels.
Drinking Snowmelt
Unable to access liquid water sources, gulls rely on snowmelt for hydration during blizzards. They allow flakes to melt in their mouths.
| Blizzard Survival Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Short Migrations | Temporarily move to escape worst weather |
| Sitting Out Storms | Conserve energy by hunkering down |
| Seeking Shelter | Hide under structures or trees |
| Dense Flocking | Huddle together to reduce heat loss |
Do Seagulls Ever Die or Struggle in Winter?
While seagulls are well adapted to survive winter in their breeding range, extreme weather can still take a toll:
- Freezing temperatures – Can sometimes frost or freeze unprotected body parts like eyes, bill, legs and feet.
- Limited food availability – Malnourishment and starvation are main mortality factors in winter.
- Exhaustion – Some gulls exhaust themselves flying and searching widely for scarce food.
- Predation – More vulnerable when weakened by hunger or cold. Foxes, coyotes, raptors may prey on weak gulls.
- Disease outbreaks – Contagious diseases spread rapidly through flocks concentrated at food sources.
- Severe ice and snow – Can prevent gulls from accessing open water to feed and drink.
During an average winter, 5-10% or more of a gull population may perish from such factors. However, their high reproductive rates ensure seagull populations remain resilient.
Key Impacts on Winter Seagull Survival:
- Freezing Temperatures – Can damage exposed body parts
- Limited Food – Starvation is a main mortality factor
- Exhaustion – From constantly searching for scarce food
- Predators – More vulnerable when weakened
- Disease Outbreaks – Spread at crowded food sources
Do Seagulls Migrate Back North in Spring?
As winter ends, most seagulls will make return migrations to their summer breeding grounds. However, migration timing varies by species:
Early Spring Migrants
Some species waste no time heading back north as days start to lengthen in February and March. These early migrants include:
- Franklin’s Gulls – Leave South America by March to reach prairie lakes.
- Laughing Gulls – Depart the Caribbean and southern U.S. by April.
- Common Gulls – Leave England for Scandinavia starting in February.
Late Spring Migrants
Other seagulls bide their time closer to the breeding season before making the trip north. Late migrants include:
- Ring-billed Gulls – Wait until April to migrate from the southern U.S. to Canada.
- Herring Gulls – Hold out until late March before leaving coasts and landfills.
- Great Black-backed Gulls – Don’t leave the Mid-Atlantic until early May.
Upon arrival at breeding sites, the gulls quickly get down to the business of finding mates and building nests. The survival strategies that see them through winter prepare seagulls to flourish once again in spring.
| Seagull Species | Migration Departure | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin’s Gull | March | Prairie lakes |
| Laughing Gull | April | Atlantic coast |
| Ring-billed Gull | April | Canada |
Conclusion
Seagulls truly are masters of survival. Their resilience in the face of winter’s challenges is remarkable. A combination of adaptations like insulating feathers, flexible diets and communal habits allow different gull species to thrive across a diversity of harsh winter habitats. While freezing weather exacts a toll, most gulls pull through to migrate back north come spring.
The next time you see gulls prowling a supermarket parking lot or hovering over a landfill in the dead of winter, take a moment to admire their toughness. Their ability to adapt and endure our northern winters should command our respect. Seagulls certainly deserve their reputation as one of the most resourceful and successful bird groups found across temperate, subarctic and arctic regions worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Some seagulls migrate long distances to escape winter, but many overwinter close to their breeding grounds.
- Staying put requires adaptations like fat reserves, shelter-seeking, flexible diets and communal habits.
- Coastlines, urban areas and inland lakes offer key winter habitats.
- Seagulls cope with snow, wind and cold using insulating feathers, torpor and by hunkering down.
- Their diet shifts to include more land-based prey like garbage, rodents and earthworms.
- Severe blizzards may force short-term movements or complete migration further south.
- Most seagulls migrate back north to their breeding sites starting in late winter and early spring.
The resourcefulness and adaptability of seagulls ensures they can survive just about anything winter throws at them. While freezing weather claims some individuals, the overall populations endure season after season. Seagulls have found diverse strategies not just to survive winter, but to thrive within it.
