This small, black-headed gull is an abundant breeding species of the Great Plains, ranging from southern Alberta to Manitoba and south along the adjoining northern USA. Isolated colonies also occur in Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and northern Alberta. Wintering is mainly on the Pacific off the coast of Peru and Chile. Some occur in the high Andean lakes of Peru and Bolivia.
The earliest birds arrive in southern Alberta during the last days of March. Often displaying rosy breasts, at that time they gather along the Bow River in Calgary and other open water sources. The best place to see them, then, is Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and the Glenmore Reservoir. All summer long you can often see (or more likely, hear) them above the city, as they fly long distances to feed in freshly cultivated fields, or sometimes at landfill sites. They depart for their wintering areas during September and October.
Although much of their food, especially early in the season, is aquatic insects, their main food is grasshoppers gleaned from growing crops. Unfortunately, to obtain additional cropland, the small wetland in which they nest is often drained. However, without the gulls to help control the grasshoppers, the overall total yield is now lower. The gulls follow cultivating machinery at every opportunity, seeking the insect larvae and worms so exposed. Franklin's Gulls, foraging like swallows, also catch many flying insects which often swarm at high altitude to breed.
These gulls breed in wetlands with abundant emergent vegetation, preferably bulrushes (Scirpus), often in large colonies of 5,000 or more pairs. The largest local colony is at Frank Lake near High River. The nest is a large floating mat of old stalks, anchored among the old and new growth, finished with a well-made cup. The usual three eggs are incubated by both sexes for 25 days. The young can swim at three days and fly when 27-33 days old.
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Where to find Franklin's Gulls in Alberta
Franklin's Gulls are abundant in the Weaselhead/Glenmore Park area from March until October. Watch for them on and around the Glenmore Reservoir. Brent Johner
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