April 1, 2018

Audubon Society and USCG Team Up

The Audubon Society and the United States Coast Guard invite help from beach goers around the Great Lakes to determine whether any of the numerous gulls in the region possess useful skills for scientific monitoring of pollutants on beaches and surface waters.
Picnickers should submit stories of gull raids on their picnics, especially if the perpetrators caused physical injuries. Photographic verification is greatly appreciated, as it narrows test subjects to those birds most in need of a career change. Birds suiting the study criteria will be tagged and fitted with specially designed cameras and transmitters.
The first round of the study gathers statistics on raid duration, stealth, coordination, and finally, estimated limits on what the gulls can lift. The study could extend beyond April 2, 2018, dependent on funding. The Audubon Society and USCG will be updating their websites for your submissions. Watch for the Great Lakes Gull Ability Testing pages, coming soon.