Montana, Prepare For More Seasonal Visitors From California

Last weekend in Helena, Montana there was still snow on the ground and the weather felt more like a winter month than a spring month. As I watched some birds in the sky I noticed there were more seagulls in the sky than I am used to seeing around the state.

Montana Has It's Share of Visitors

An acquaintance I know who moved to Montana from California posted on social media how much they appreciate seeing seagulls around Montana, because it reminds them of where they are from. My initial thought was "wow, even the California birds want to come to Montana."

"Seagulls" Don't Exist

People are just now finding out that "seagulls" don't actually exist. Yes, that really is a thing.

Read More: Seagulls Don't Exist. Seriously. 

Summer is the season when Montana will start to see migratory birds coming our way. We were discussing the gulls that I saw last weekend around the office. The stories started flying around about feeding the gulls. You may want to refrain from trying to feed them. Before you know it, you may get more than you bargained for.

via GIPHY

These Are the Types of Gulls You May See in Montana

According to the Montana Field Guide if you happen to see a "seagull" in Montana, odds are that you are probably seeing one of these other gulls that can be found in Montana. There is the California Gull (Larus californicus), the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), and the Ring Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis). Most of these birds look similar and most people just call them "seagulls". Either way, even though they may hail from California, rest assured most of them are not here to stay.