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Banding Linked Seaside Heermann’s Gulls to a Gathering of About 120 Birds at Monterey State Beach

Adult non-breeding Heermann's gull standing beside the water in Richardson Bay
Conservation · Management

Leg bands on gulls from the only breeding colony of Heermann’s gull (Larus heermanni) in the United States have begun revealing where some of the Seaside birds go after leaving their rooftop nesting area. In a report published on 6 August 2026, project staff described counting about 120 Heermann’s gulls gathered beside an outfall at Monterey State Beach; some carried bands from the new Seaside monitoring programme, confirming that birds from the local colony were using the site.

The 2026 project brings together Monterey Audubon Society, the City of Seaside and students from California State University Monterey Bay. A primary project update from Monterey Audubon says monitoring began in March. Drones and a camera mounted on a pole were used to map rooftop nesting, and the team counted 62 nests at the seasonal peak, each containing two or three eggs.

Banding revealed where some colony birds went

Banding adds an individual-level view that counts alone cannot provide. When newly fledged birds ended up on streets below the commercial rooftops, volunteers moved them away from traffic; birds handled for return to the roofs could be fitted with metal leg bands under the supervision of a local bander. By the end of July, the project reported 14 gulls banded and five different banded individuals seen at the beach. The August observation of banded birds among the larger gathering showed that at least some Seaside birds were reaching this coastal site.

Rooftop nesting creates street-level risks

The urban colony also creates immediate risks. From 23 June through the end of July, 17 volunteers patrolled Broadway during busy periods, spoke with residents and visitors and moved grounded fledglings away from traffic. The city installed signs warning drivers about young birds in the road. Project coordinator Kyan Russell told Monterey County NOW that six birds had died in a single day in 2025, before the programme, whereas six deaths had been recorded in total during the 2026 season by the time of the 6 August report.

Most Heermann’s gulls breed in Mexico, while Seaside holds the only known breeding colony in the United States. The partners say their long-term aim is not to keep the colony on commercial rooftops but to develop a safer nesting option. Band sightings, nest monitoring, drone surveys and street-level protection are being used together to understand how the colony uses Seaside and where management can reduce risks to fledglings.

Sources and image credit

  1. Kramer, D. / Monterey Audubon Society (2026) — Ending the Heermann’s Gull Season on a High NotePrimary project update. Reports that 2026 monitoring began in March, documents 62 nests at the seasonal peak, street outreach, banding of fledglings, 14 gulls banded, five banded individuals seen at the beach, driver-warning signs and the search for safer long-term nesting options.
  2. Rodriguez, K. / Monterey County NOW (2026) — A Heermann’s Gull project begins helping track and protect the famed red-billed birdLocal report based on interviews with project participants. Adds the August news point: about 120 Heermann’s gulls counted at Monterey State Beach with banded Seaside birds among them, plus details on 17 volunteers, drone work and season-to-date mortality.

Image: Frank Schulenburg — adult non-breeding Heermann’s gull (Larus heermanni) at Richardson Bay, Marin County, California, 17 January 2016. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Representative species image; not a banded bird from the Seaside colony. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

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