Lesser Gashog

A common resident of Vancouver, the Lesser Gashog is a flight-loving bird that is usually seen soaring overhead on fair-weather days. It announces its presence with a steady, buzzing flight song and it doesn’t seem to shy of human attention. Despite its bold behaviour, the Lesser Gashog will rarely come to land in your local park.

Lesser Gashogs are detritivores, and feed exclusively on the ancient sludge of half-decomposed organic matter. They rest in large groups overnight at established roosting sites called “airports”; I saw this one flying near the Boundary Bay Airport on February 2. They compete fiercely with other species for these roosting sites as well as for food; Delta is a stronghold for the Lesser Gashog, but they are outcompeted by the Greater Gashog on Sea Island in Richmond.

The reproductive habits of gashogs are largely unknown, though there is good evidence for an established nesting site of Greater Gashogs in Everett, Washington.