Location:
Black-backs only appeared along this coast in the early 1940’s, the bulk of their population is well to the north. For unknown reasons, Black-backed gulls are slowly spreading south along the eastern seaboard of the United States.
This, the largest gull in the world, is a relative late-comer to Maine and to Great Duck Island. Like other gulls in the North Atlantic their numbers grew in the first half of the 20th century before declining dramatically in recent years. Some are voracious predators, and others seem surprisingly “mellow”. At present we have approximately 35 pairs of Black-backed gulls on Great Duck, and perhaps six pairs on Mt Desert Rock.
Black-backs only appeared along this coast in the early 1940’s, the bulk of their population is well to the north. For unknown reasons, Black-backed gulls are slowly spreading south along the eastern seaboard of the United States.