Project Overview
In the Gulf of Maine, populations of gulls have fluctuated dramatically during the past several decades, largely as a result of human activities. Gulls are apex predators in nearshore marine ecosystems and can significantly alter terrestrial habitats on breeding islands. Though gulls are a conspicuous presence in coastal New England, surprisingly little is known about some of their ecology, physiology, and behaviors.
The Gull Ecology program is designed around a unique, long-term gull banding program initiated in 2004 on Appledore Island focused on Great Black-backed Gulls and American Herring Gulls. Field-readable leg bands are used to facilitate resights of live birds both on and off the island, and during the breeding and non-breeding season. Thousands of gulls have been banded and resighted by island researchers and private citizens. Throughout the breeding season, researchers track adults and chicks to investigate both inter- and intra-annual patterns in their nesting biology. The data generated from this project is used to quantify adult and chick survival, dispersal, behavior, and diet. During the program, researchers may:
- Band adult and juvenile gulls of both species under the guidance of mentors.
- Collect biological samples and behavioral observations.
- Conduct measurements and track growth and survivorship of chicks.
- Conduct routine, on-island resights of banded gulls and assign nest IDs to all banded birds.
- Map nests using GPS and monitor the reproductive success of banded gulls in key study areas via daily nest checks.
- Collect and record data on gull diet.
- Create digital content about the research and individual gulls.
- Participate in weekly discussions and lectures as part of the larger Shoals Undergraduate Research Group cohort.
Project Mentors
Gulls of Appledore Research Team (Dr. Kristen Covino, Dr. Liz Craig, Dr. Nichola Hill, Dr. Sara Morris, Dylan Titmuss)
Dates: May 19, 2026, to August 10, 2026 (start date may vary slightly and is dependent on gull breeding phenology)
SML Research Symposium: August 8, 2026
Stipend: $2100 for the 10-week program
Includes room & board for 10 weeks and round-trip vessel transportation from Portsmouth, NH to Appledore Island. Researchers are responsible for their own transportation to/from Portsmouth, NH at the beginning and end of the program.
One researcher will be selected.
To Apply
- Application Deadline: Monday, February 9, 2026, 11:45 pm
- Applicants should be prepared to upload (as separate files): cover letter, resume/CV, and unofficial transcripts. Please use the following naming convention for all files: Last_First Name_file title (example: Smith_John_resume).
- Request two letters of recommendation. At least one letter must be from a professor/faculty member. The second can be from a graduate student TA or employer.
In your application, please include relevant details about the following, if applicable:
- Any prior field and/or lab experience
- Any prior experience in remote settings (even if unrelated to research, e.g. camping)
- Any prior work with live organisms (even if unrelated to research, e.g. animal shelter)
- Undergraduates in all majors may apply, but be sure to highlight any relevant coursework that you have completed.
All applicants will be notified of their application status by email no later than March 13, 2026.
Note for international students: International students studying in the United States under an F-1 visa are eligible to work as a research intern at SML. Before applying, we encourage students to confirm with their academic institution about their eligibility for off-campus employment through a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or other comparable program.
Questions?
Email shoals.lab@unh.edu
Read about David Mesta (SML '17, NECC '17) in the news! David was featured for his research on blood parasites in gulls on Appledore Island.