Mew Gull

These small gulls, named after one of their calls, pass over quick and convenient
human leftovers for natural foods. They are seldom found very far offshore, and they
search for fish and marine invertebrates in sheltered bays, inlets, lagoons and along
tide lines. Most Mew Gulls breed in northern British Columbia, Alaska and Siberia.
The few birds that remain in Vancouver over summer do not breed here. You do not
have to go far inland, however, to find breeding birds—they can be found as close by
as Harrison Lake, 100 km to the east of Vancouver.
Like many other marine birds, the Mew Gull has specialized glands near the base of
its bill that help it eliminate some of the salt it ingests when drinking salt water. These
glands extract salt from the blood to produce a concentrated, salty liquid that drips
from their bill.

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