Mew / Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus)

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
40 - 46 cm
Wingspan: 110 - 125 cm

First Described (Guide)
Richardson, 1831

Habitat
Breeds in tundra, marshy areas, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, islands, and coastal cliffs. Winters in nearshore waters and coasts, river estuaries, beaches, mudflats, harbors, and sewage outlets and treatment ponds.

Range (Guide)

Northern Alaska and northern Mackenzie south to southern British Columbia and northern Saskatchewan; winters south to California.

Food
Fish, insects, earthworms, grain, garbage and marine invertebrates.

Voice
A nasal, shrill, high-pitched 'glieeoo'. Also 'gleeu-gleeu-gleeu...', when alarmed. A nasal 'keow'.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (47)...)

Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) [XC535147]
by Davyd Betchkal from Walker Lake North, Alaska, United States (call)

Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) [XC147742]
by from Fang Mountain, United States (call)

Nest
A shallow scrap on the ground or in a tree, lined with plant material. In colonies.

Eggs (Guide)
Clutch Size: 1 - 5, 3, sometimes 1 or 2
Color: smooth, variable, pale blue-green, olive, buff or various shades of brown, blotched and spotted with darker brown
Dimensions: (oval)
Incubation: 22 - 26 days by both sexes

Young
Semiprecocial.

Fledge: 30 - 35 days

Subspecies
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Mew Gull (Larus canus).

No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Mew / Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) - 10 files

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