Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
61 - 68 cm

First Described (Guide)
Naumann, 1840

Habitat
Rocky coasts, estuaries, occasionally beaches and especially harbors.

Range (Guide)

Canada (B) (NB) (P), Japan, Mexico, Russia (Asian), USA (B).

Vagrant to China (mainland), Hong Kong (China), Morocco, Spain.

Commander Is east through Aleutians, Pribilofs and southern Bering Sea to southern Alaska, then south-east to northern Oregon. Winters from Bering Sea to northern Japan and Baja California.

Population
Estimated population is 570,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Fish, marine invertebrates, carrion, offal, bird eggs and small mammals. Feeding is via plunge-diving, diving from the surface and dropping shellfish on rocks.

Voice
A 'nyaao' or 'kwa kwa'.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (56)...)

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) [XC269170]
by Quinn Desilets from Shilshole Bay Marina, Seattle, Washington, United States (call)

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) [XC159200]
by Ian Cruickshank from Rocky Point Bird Observatory, Metchosin, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada (call)

Subspecies
Fossil from late Pleistocene, prehistoric specimens from Alaska and California. Closely linked with Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) and Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), and hybridizes with both.

Hybridizes freely with Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) from southern British Columbia to Oregon, and by some authors treated as conspecific.

No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Glaucous-winged Gull see... Show Articles

BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Articles about the Glaucous-winged Gull

If you would like to read any articles about the Glaucous-winged Gull...

Show Articles (0)

No Pictures of Glaucous-winged Gull

If Birdpedia has no pictures of Glaucous-winged Gull or you would like to see more, then try the following...

Show External Images from BING

From BING (10)

No Videos of Glaucous-winged Gull

If Birdpedia has no videos of Glaucous-winged Gull or you would like to see more, then try the following..

Show External Videos

From BING (0)

Where can I observe this species?

Select an area (or leave blank) to see locations where this species has been recorded.

Area

All

Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location.

Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.

Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence)

Deg	Min	Sec			Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)
				or	GPS help

Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence)

Deg	Min	Sec			Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)
				or	Find GPS using Google Maps

Distance	Bearing
		Get Sample GPS readings

On What Field Trips was this species observed?

Select an area (or leave blank), and a date range, to see field trips on which this species has been recorded.

Area

All

From	To

Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence)

Deg	Min	Sec			Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)
				or	GPS help

Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence)

Deg	Min	Sec			Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)
				or

Distance	Bearing
		Get Sample GPS readings

Latest Sightings for Glaucous-winged Gull