Natural England Contract Research: Diet metabarcoding of wild gulls

Project Description

The distribution and population size of large gull species in the UK are changing rapidly, creating various challenges for local communities and conservation groups. One of the largest UK gull colonies is located in the Bowland Fells, an area used for grouse shooting and water storage. Local residents report that this gull colony preys on endangered bird species and transmits pathogens to sheep and water sources. Natural England has commissioned this project to gather evidence on gull diets through metabarcoding, aiming to determine if gulls are preying on breeding upland waders and to understand gulls' habitat use. One hundred gulls, shot under license on grouse moors, will be dissected by CEH (with separate funding). Stomach and intestine contents will be analysed using three metabarcoding primers to detect prey, with a focus on identifying endangered waders. The findings from this project will support Natural England's licensing decisions for gull control and improve metabarcoding techniques for generalist predators, which are often difficult to study using these methods. This research will also contribute to larger studies on the effects of global change on the ecology and population dynamics of generalist species that thrive in altered landscapes.