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Deepseawaters
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Sea BirdsGlaucous-winged
Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Name: Glaucous-winged
Gull
Scientific Name: Larus glaucesens
Description
Bulkier gull. Head, neck, chest, upperparts
and tail all white; scapulars and upper wings pale gray. Yellow-orange
legs and feet and a yellow to yellow-orange beak. Characteristic
red spot on bottom tip of beak.
Glaucous-winged Gulls are
widely distributed in coastal areas and are therefore one
of our most familiar seabirds. Almost every beach, harbor
or fishing boat located anywhere from the state of Washington
to the Bering Sea will occasionally have a Glaucous-winged
Gull sitting on it, or soaring gracefully above it.
Part of the secret to their success is that they are flexible
in their choice of foods.
Habitat
Near salt water in bays, estuaries, harbors, city parks, and on beaches, mud flats, dumps, barren islands and open ocean. Rarely found in fresh water. Found in the same habitat year-round.
Diet
Species omnivorous. Diet consists of a wide variety of fish, marine invertebrates, garbage, and carrion.
Identification Tips
Length: 22 inches
Large gull
Very large bill with distinct gonydeal angle
Flat forehead and large bill give "mean" appearance
Adult Alternate
Bright yellow bill with red spot at gonys
Pink legs
Dark eyes
White head, neck, breast and belly
Pale gray mantle
White tertial crescent
Pale gray primaries (do not contrast with back) have white tips
White tail
Adult Basic
Like adult alternate but blurry brown streaking and spotting on head and nape
Juvenile/First-year
Black bill
Wholly pale brown body plumage
Pale brown primaries do not contrast with body plumage
Pale brown tail does not contrast with back
Black legs quickly become pink
Second-year:
Black bill with pink base
Pale brown head, neck, upper breast, belly, primaries and tail
Pale gray back
Third-year
Like adult basic, but often lacks adult bill pattern, wing pattern, and often retains a partial tail band
Similar Species
Adults of all other species have primaries
that contrast with the back color. Glaucous-winged
is one of the largest and "meanest-looking" gulls and can
often be distinguished just by shape. Young birds also show
no contrast between the body and primaries. First-winter plumage
is very similar to Thayer' Gull, which has slightly darker
primaries and secondaries and a smaller bill (with shallower
gonydeal angle), rounder head and smaller size. Glaucous-winged
and Western gulls hydridize extensively
so beware of intermediate-plumaged hybrids.
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