These Glaucous-winged Gulls are common year round residents in Juneau, Alaska. This video was taken in early February in Juneau. It could be used to introduce these birds and ask questions about them and their behavior.
- Where is their most common nesting site in Juneau?
- In this video there are at least three different plumages. Which ones are probable adults and which ones are juveniles from last summer?
- How do you tell the Glaucous-winged Gull from the Herring Gull another common year-round resident in Juneau?
- In this video some of the gulls are eating sea stars. What is a sea star? Are they good food for these gulls?
- These gulls obtained the sea stars at a fairly high tide. Since we mostly see them at low and minus tides in the Juneau area they might have been dead and washed ashore. What indicates that these sea stars are not alive?
- Think about the Sea Star Wasting Disease that has been common in Alaska and other parts of the World. For information about this look at: Sea Star Wasting disease and static environmental variables drive sea star assemblages in the Northern Gulf of Alaska
- How important are Sea Stars in Alaska? They have been listed as a Key Stone Species. What is a Key Stone Species and why are Sea Stars considered one?
- In this video you can occasionally see a gull eating blue mussels. How important are these mussels for gulls and other birds in Alaska?
- These mussels are known to accumulate Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). What is PSP? For information about it look at: Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)
- One of the gulls with a Sea Star seems quite nervous when a Bald Eagle is calling. Why?