The Magnificent Niagara River Gull Migration

I am going to go slightly outside Protection Farm again for this posting. This is about the Niagara River and an annual migration that occurs each November-December. The piece below was originally published in a magazine that I produced called the WNY Traveler. 

Bonaparte's Gull(Larus philadelphia)  on the Niagara
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bonapartes_Gull/lifehistory

Most people don’t know it, but during late November through mid-January the Niagara River straight is the setting of one of the most amazing and ecologically significant events in the natural world.  It is the annual gull migration.  If you are like most people, you may not think much of gulls, or “seagulls” as they are commonly labeled.  But most of these migrating gulls are anything but common.  Between late November and mid January each year, the Niagara River hosts as many as 19 species of gulls.  By comparison, the entire continent of Australia has only 3 species.  The Niagara River migration involves hundreds of thousands of individual gulls each day.  Each of the species are vey different, have individual species names, and some are extremely rare. The birds are easy to observe at many locations along the Niagara.

Migration is a remarkable natural occurrence that is a part of the life-cycle of many species. Birds and other animals migrate through our area year round.  For instance the tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird, familiar in WNY, annually migrates to the mountains of Costa Rica and beyond. And back!    Part of the flight takes them on a non-stop journey across the waters of the Gulf of Mexico!  Another familiar WNY summer resident, the Monarch Butterfly, migrates from our area to a mountainous region in south/central Mexico. 

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere reserve/Mariposa Monarcha Biosphere Reserve

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_Butterfly_Biosphere_Reserve

UNESCO: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1290

Economics and Tourism

The annual gull migration brings opportunity to our region. If you are a bird watcher, there are few experiences in North America that rival observing the flights and activities of some of the most interesting birds anywhere. If you are a tourist, or are in business to promote tourism, this ecotourism opportunity is something that we can build on. The gull migration is truly a natural spectacular that has worldwide attention.

The Niagara River Corridor “globally significant” Important Bird Area (NR-IBA)

In 1996 a coalition of government, community, local, national, and international organizations designated the Niagara River corridor not only as one of the worlds “Important Bird Areas” (IBA), but due in large part to the gull migration, a “globally significant”  IBA.  This designation puts our area in the same league as Yellowstone, the Everglades, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks. These, including the Niagara, were some of the first IBA sites in North America. The NR-IBA was the first “bi-national” globally significant IBA designated.

Why Here?

Our region, situated as it is on the eastern Great Lakes (which contain fully 1/5 of all the fresh surface water on the planet) has a remarkable amount of biodiversity.  Human development impacts this biodiversity, but perhaps we can invest in “development” that encourages conservation. There remains abundant ecological resources here that promote a potential for increased ecotourism.  Our location, waters, and biodiversity support a powerful network of plant and animal life including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The Niagara and its adjacent corridor provides habitat for many of these life forms.  The Niagara is often the only open water for miles.  During late fall and winter the NR-IBA is alive with an astonishing variety of migrating and overwintering waterfowl.  Ducks, geese, swans, and the breathtaking gulls are here in astounding numbers.

The NR-IBA provides abundant food and shelter. The swells, upwellings, and whirlpools of the Niagara offer a smorgasbord of small fish. The corridor itself offers shelter from the many storms that have been known to sweep the region during this migration.

Bonaparte's Gulls

Some of the gulls come from as far away as Alaska and the Yukon arctic. Some migrate south as far as the Caribbean.  The Bonaparte’s gull, which nests in trees in the boreal forests of the north, is found on the river in huge numbers during the migration. The Niagara can be filled with tens of thousands of this unusual species. They can be observed flocking and feeding at many spots. As many as 75% of the world’s population of Bonaparte’s gulls, the largest concentration of these gulls anywhere, come through here on their way to the Gulf of Mexico.  

Greater Black-backed Gull, Ring-billed Gulls, and Tundra Swan

How can we protect this migration and still take economic advantage?

There are organizations and individuals that are engaged in conservation here.  But do not get offended, we are not doing enough. Governments, business, and citizens have to do more. One of the primary reasons that we need to find ways to take economic advantage of the gull migration is because if we don't find a way that has more positive consequences, sure as can be, we will continue to exploit the natural Niagara with negative consequences. Ecotourism can bring major league economics. We have the resources, we have world class natural places and events.  We can promote ecotourism and at the same time engage effectively in conservation as opposed to wholesale destruction of the natural world. This can be sustainable economic development.  Maybe we can all make a New Years Resolution to do more.

This is our opportunity. We have some of the most profoundly important ecological places on the planet, right here in our own front yard.  One of the obstacles of course is human development.  We must learn to promote sustainable development, promote conservation, and become the best stewards of our ecological assets that we can be.  If we couple conservation with tourism we can grow another reason to become a profoundly important place for people to visit and spend their money.

Bonaparte's finds food!

Where to See the Birds

Tundra Swans
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tundra_Swan/lifehistory

There are numerous places to observe gulls and gull behavior in the Niagara River Corridor. Virtually where ever there is access to the water you can see the gulls and other waterfowl. From Times Beach in Buffalo, the waterfront parks including LaSalle and the foot of Ferry Street, Austin Street near Rich Marina and all along the water all the way to Lewiston and Fort Niagara offer great spots. Some of the best places are above and below the falls. The Niagara Parks offer parking and observation opportunities. One of the best is at the Niagara Power Plant overlook, where you can actually drive down into the gorge to a fishing access point. the Canadian side of the River also offers great view opportunities from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. As always be very mindful of weather conditions. Do not risk your life by traveling into the gorge unless you know the conditions are safe. If you have good binoculars, and good bird books, your expedition will be well rewarded.

For more information on bird sightings: Dial-a Bird, sponsored by the Buffalo Ornitholigical Society and the Buffalo Musuem of Science is updated frequently with local sightings and observations

716 896 1271

Checklist of Niagara Gulls

Bonaparte’s Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-legged Kittewake

California Gull

Franklin’s Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Glaucous Gull

Herring Gull

Iceland Gull

Ivory Gull

Laughing Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Little Gull

Laughing Gull

Mew Gull

Ring-Billed Gull

Sabines’s Gull

Thayer’s Gull