Winter Gull Ecology: The Relationship Between You and an Extremely Adaptable Species with Ken MacKenzie

Gulls are common year-round in Massachusetts.  Their numbers and flock locations are closely tied to human activity and have changed as open landfills have been closed and feeding has been discouraged.  So where do they congregate now?  How much do they travel?  Did you know that gulls have only bred in Massachusetts for the last 100 years?  There is much to learn about these fascinating birds.

Since 2008, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has been conducting a study on the movements, food resources, and roosting patterns of ring-billed and herring gulls in Massachusetts.  To date, close to 1,800 birds have been captured and tagged with either colored wing-tags or satellite/GPS transmitters. Almost 5200 sightings of wing-tagged gulls have been reported and over 65,000 satellite and GPS locations have been received. Ken MacKenzie will be speaking about what the DCR has done with all this information and how this new research fuels management to influence how gulls are impacting the Commonwealth’s citizens. 

Ken MacKenzie is the
Senior Wildlife Biologist for DCR’s Department of Water Supply Protection.  He designs and implements all aspects of wildlife management on Division
of Water Supply property. His mission is to protect, maintain and enhance
wildlife resources on Division property while mitigating and minimizing
wildlife related damage to both Watershed structures and water resources. 
He lives with his family in nearby Marlborough, MA.