Why did the California Gull become the state bird of Utah?

The California gull (Larus californicus) has been the state bird of Utah since 1955 when it was selected by an act of the legislature.

The California gull is considered the state bird of Utah by common consent, probably in commemoration of the fact that these gulls saved the people of the State by eating up hordes of crickets which were destroying the crops in 1848.

https://onlinelibrary.utah.gov/utah/symbols/bird/

https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title63G/Chapter1/63G-1-S601.html?v=C63G-1-S601_2019051420190514

Here is an article at Wikipedia called 'The Miracle of the Gulls'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_of_the_gulls

According to this article (link below), before the 1930s, about 80% of the California Gulls were bred near the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Since then, new breeding colonies have been established on newly built reservoirs across the West. Most of the new colonies were near larger towns and cities where gulls can feed at garbage dumps.

https://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/utah-state-bird.html

More info about the adoption of the California gull:

https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/birds/ut_california_gull.htm