This is Bird Note. A massive bird soars along the New England coastline, above nesting islands and

cliffs inhabited by puffins and other seabirds. This bird's broad black wings measure more

than five feet across, in bold contrast with its white head and tail. Its beak is long and thick. A bold eagle

might come to mind, but this is no eagle. It's a great black-backed gull, the world's largest

gull. Great black-backed gulls can be found on both sides of the North Atlantic, and their diet,

like that of other large gulls, includes fish, squid, and winter visits to landfills.

But it's their reputation as serious predators of other birds, and It really sets this huge gull apart.

During the nesting season, great black-backed gulls prey on eggs and nestlings of other seabirds.

They'll also hunt adult seabirds like puffins and grebes, and songbirds as big as a grackle.

Just over a century ago, these birds were nearly wiped out by feather hunters and egg collectors.

And though their populations recovered with help from environmental protections,

great black-backed gulls are in decline once again, and scientists are still trying to figure out why.

What we can say for certain is that this majestic gull that soars like an eagle is a marvel worth fighting for.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.