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Behaviors of gulls
What are gulls?
Finding gulls
What should I do if I find gulls but haven't set up a
study site yet?
Where can I study gulls?
Gulls Galore methods
Practicing
Count each bird only once
Collecting data
Why your data are important
What if I don't see any gulls?
GULL BEHAVIOR
What are gulls:
Many people are familiar with "seagulls" and lump them into one group.
In fact, there are many different species. Gulls often are seen near water (oceans,
lakes, rivers, marshes). Click
here for more information about gulls.
STUDY SITES FOR "GULLS GALORE"
What should I do if I notice a flock of gulls and
I want to study them immediately?
If you see a group of gulls and decide that you will observe them immediately
but you have not yet recorded any habitat information, follow these steps:
- Make your observations, recording numbers and species
of gulls.
- Take notes on the habitat characteristics (e.g. lawn,
shrubs, traffic, pedestrians, etc.).
- Fill out the habitat forms and tally sheets as soon as
you are able to print them out.
- Return to the study site to complete the habitat form if necessary.
For example, you are having a picnic in a park and you notice a group of gulls.
You decide you'd like to take a few minutes to observe them. Write down the
time (start and end), the amount of time you spent watching, your counts, and
the gulls' behaviors. Also, take good notes about the study site. When you return
to your computer, download and print the tally sheets and habitat forms and
fill them in. If necessary, return to the study site to get more accurate habitat
description. You may collect new count information when you return if you'd
like but be sure to use a new tally sheet.
Where can I study gulls?
You can report Gulls Galore data for any location in any city at any time.
You can even participate in a city while you are vacationing. First, learn what
gulls live in the city you plan to visit. Then, print out the habitat forms
and tally sheets and take them with you. Conduct the project just as you would
if you were at home.
"GULLS GALORE" METHODS
Practice identifying birds
If you already know how to identify gulls, you can get started right away. If
you don't know how, you can still participate. Start by learning the differences
between the gull age classes. Then practice counting gulls by ages. When you
feel comfortable, then you can record and send in your data. Eventually, if
you really want a challenge, you can try to tell the ages and species apart.
Try to count each bird only once
While you are counting, birds may fly from one location to another. Be sure
to record each bird only once. If a bird flies away and then another arrives,
assume the second bird is the same as the first and don't count it.
COLLECTING DATA
Why your data are important
Your data will provide estimates of bird densities in urban areas. Densities
are counts of birds in a specific area, such as a city block or an acre. Few
projects provide bird densities because they fail to report the size of the
observation area. Your data on bird density are valuable for scientific research
on birds.
What to do if I don't see any gulls?
If you return to a study site but no birds show up, be sure to report the data
anyway. It's just as important for scientists to know when birds are not there
as when they are there. For example, you always take five minutes to look for
gulls when you get off the bus in the afternoon. On days when you don't see
any birds, you should report "no birds seen".
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