New Black-billed Gull National Census

[Michael Szabo]

The endemic Black-billed Gull was listed as critically endangered in 2016 due to suspected large historical population declines. Birds New Zealand and Fruzio funded a national census in 2016-17 in which all South Island rivers were overflown and surveyed for colonies, and sections of the North Island were overflown or surveyed on the ground. The breeding pair estimate from that census was much higher than expected, and it was concluded that the population may be stable but that another census in 5-10 years was strongly recommended. Black-billed Gulls were re-assessed in the New Zealand Threat Classification in 2021 as “At Risk – Declining” as a result of the 2016/17 census.

Seven years have already passed since this comprehensive survey was conducted, so it is time to repeat it again to assess current population numbers. Rivers in the Southland, Otago, Canterbury, and the West Coast regions of the South Island will be surveyed by overflights, and Marlborough/Tasman and all of the North Island will be done on the ground. The 2023 Birds New Zealand Research Fund, Environment Canterbury, the Department of Conservation, and Environment Southland are all contributing to fund the overflights. The rest of the survey will rely on Birds New Zealand members and New Zealand birders finding and reporting colonies. Please use breeding codes and write notes in the comments field in your eBird Atlas checklists, or send sightings to: mike@toroaconsulting/co.nz and cmischler@doc.govt.nz

[Wrybill]

Do you know what dates these will occur, I'm quite interested.

[Michael Szabo]

As per the notice posted above, they ask for reports of breeding colonies via eBird or email giving numbers of birds and notes on what stage of breeding the colony is at (ie, nests with or without eggs, chicks/juveniles with an estimate of age) -- from now on until the end of the 2023-2024 breeding season, especially in the North Island.

[Wrybill]

Thanks Michael.