Glaucous-winged Gull

Larus glaucescensOrder: CHARADRIIFORMESFamily: Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)

Overview

Glaucous-winged Gull: Large gull with gray upperparts and white underparts, head, and neck. Eyes are dark. Bill is yellow with red spot on lower mandible. Wings are gray with white edges and spots near the tips. Legs and feet are pink. Powerful direct flight, often soars on thermals.

Range and Habitat

Glaucous-winged Gull: Resident from the Aleutians and coastal Alaska south to northwestern Washington. Spends winters south along the Pacific coast to southern California. Preferred habitats include salt or brackish water along coasts, bays, estuaries, islands, beaches, mud flats, and nearby offshore waters; often found at wharves, dumps, fish canneries, and around fishing boats.

Listen:

Voice Text

"kak-kak-kak", " wow"

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Glaucous-winged Gull

● Song: "kak-kak-kak", " wow"

● Foraging & Feeding: Glaucous-winged Gull: Feeds on carrion, fish, invertebrates, and seaweed. Drops barnacles, sea urchins, and mollusks onto rocks to crack them open; also steals food from other seabirds.

● Breeding & nesting: Glaucous-winged Gull: One to four olive to yellow green eggs marked with brown and gray are laid in a grass or seaweed nest built in a depression on a remote islet or headland. Incubation ranges from 26 to 29 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Glaucous-winged Gull: Glaucous Gull is larger and has paler back and eyes. Western Gull has darker back and white-tipped black primaries.

Flight Pattern

Powerful direct flight with slow measured wing beats.

Glaucous-winged Gull Winter Adult Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Glaucous-winged Gull: Resident from the Aleutians and coastal Alaska south to northwestern Washington. Spends winters south along the Pacific coast to southern California. Preferred habitats include salt or brackish water along coasts, bays, estuaries, islands, beaches, mud flats, and nearby offshore waters; often found at wharves, dumps, fish canneries, and around fishing boats.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationIncreasing

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight35.2 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America