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 LC    Pacific Gull* Id (Atlas): 126
    Larus pacificus Endemic

Description (10)
Image of Pacific Gull
 

Other Names (World)
Pacific Gull, Jack Gull, Molly Gull, Large-billed Gull, Larger Gull, Australian Gull

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
50 - 67 cm

First Described (Guide)
Latham, 1801

Derivation
Lar-us - Gk, laros, seabird: pacificus - N.L., of the Pacific Ocean

Abundance (Guide)
MC

Common on western and southern coasts, scarce in parts of the south-east where it is being displaced by the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus).

Habitat
Coasts, often on coastal islands, occasionally on inland rivers, coastal lakes.

Range (Guide)
Australia (B).

Image of Range of Pacific Gull
 
Breeds on islands off the southern coast of Australia. Occurs north to about Shark Bay, WA in the west to about Sydney, NSW in the east.
 
Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 11,000 (2010).

Status LC
Secure.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Singly, in pairs or small groups, and sometimes in large flocks.

Food
Fish and other marine life, procured from the surface of the sea, galley-refuse from ships, and eggs from other birds nests.

Voice
Loud, honking 'oww, oww' in alarm. Muffled 'auk auk auk'. Often silent.



Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (3)...)

 
Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) [XC288494]
     by nick talbot from Sandy Point, Victoria, Australia (begging call)

 
Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) [XC383925]
     by id from Tinderbox Marine Reserve, Tasmania, Australia (call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Mainly October - January.

J F M A M J J A S O N D
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   


Nest
A depression in the ground, lined with grass or other herbage, usually in the shelter of a tussock of grass or low bush.

Eggs (Guide)
1 - 3; grey-brown with dark brown spots and blotches; long-oval; about 74 x 51 mm. Incubation: about 29 days; by both sexes.

Young
Fledge in 5 - 6 weeks.

Subspecies
Often placed in separate genus Gabianus, either alone or with Dolphin Gull (Larus scoresbii).

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

  • pacificus Latham, 1801   -  South-eastern Australia, breeding in Tasmania and around Westernport, Victoria, dispersing west to Portland, Victoria and north to Sydney, New South Wales.
  • georgii King, PP, 1826   -  SA and WA, breeding north to Shark Bay, WA and east to South Australian Gulf.


Similar Species
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), which has a smaller bill, with red on the lower mandible, and a pure white tail.


References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

More... see more information (images, calls, videos etc)


Files:
JPG files for Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) - 10 filesMP3 files for Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) - 2 files


More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Pacific Gull see... Show Articles BirdLife International Species Factsheet.


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