WCSH features story on Noah Perlut's and Margaret Friar's urban herring gull research

WCSH 6 on July 9, 2012 aired a by journalist Bill Green on urban herring gull research being conducted in Portland by Noah Perlut, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental studies, and Margaret Friar, Ph.D., associate lecturer in biology, along with student Sarah Kelting (Environmental Science ’14) and alum Sara Winchenbach (Animal Behavior ’12).

While herring gulls traditionally nest on islands — not on the mainland — the 51С»Æ³µresearchers are studying a group of herring gulls who have made several buildings in Portland their home.  The Portland Museum of Art building, in particular, has attracted a large number of breeding pairs.

Green points out in the story that the number of gulls in the city has grown to where many people find them to be a nuisance but they are a protected species. UNE's Friar notes that they have a place in the environment and that there are some things that can be done to limit the birds in urban areas such as not feeding them and eliminating other sources of food.

The researchers are gathering data on nest success, clutch size, nestling growth, and timing of nesting and comparing this urban population to an island population. In addition, they are color-banding both adults and chicks to follow their dispersal movements and survival.

. A longer feature story on the research is scheduled to run on "Bill Green's Maine" July 21st.

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