California Gull Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesCalifornia Gull
Breeding adult
Medium-sized white-headed gull. Breeding adults have yellow legs, a dark eye, and a red spot on the lower bill.
© Daniel Arndt / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, April 18, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding adults have a heavily streaked head, but still have yellow legs, a dark eye and a red spot on the lower bill.
© Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, October 24, 2016Breeding adult
Often eats insects along lake and stream edges during the breeding season. Breeding adults have yellow bill with black and red spot.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
Second winter
Second winter birds start to acquire gray feathers on their back and have a bluish bill with a black tip. Note dark eyes and a bluish tint on the upper legs.
© Jim Hully / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 05, 2016Second summer
Second summer gulls start to resemble adults but may still retain some brown feathers.
© Ian Routley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, June 09, 2017First winter
First winter gulls are checkered in tan and white with a few gray feathers appearing on the back. The bill is pink with a black tip. Note darker brown patches on the greater coverts (lower part of the folded wing).
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryBaja California Sur, March 19, 2009Juvenile
Juveniles are mottled brown and white. Some individuals have a bit of cinnamon color on the back. Note thin bill with a pink base.
© Mason Maron / Macaulay LibraryWashington, August 09, 2019Nonbreeding adult
In flight, note the dark primaries seen from above and below. The amount of black in the primaries is more extensive compared to similar gulls.
© Blake Matheson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 23, 2020Second summer
Second summer gulls often show lighter inner primary feathers in flight. Note slim bill and dark eye.
© Brandon Holden / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 12, 2015Juvenile
Juveniles in flight have a wide dark brown tail band, dark primaries, and dark greater covert feathers. Note slim bill.
© Liam Singh / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, July 13, 2018Habitat
Found in any open area where they can find food including garbage dumps, scrublands, pastures, orchards, meadows, and farms. In winter, found along the Pacific Coast mostly in marine areas including mudflats, estuaries, deltas, and beaches.
© John C Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryOregon, September 15, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
Breeding adult
Western Gulls are larger than California Gulls with darker gray backs. Breeding and nonbreeding adults have pink legs, not yellow like California Gulls.
© Joel Rurik / Macaulay LibraryOregon, April 12, 2016Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
Second winter
Second winter Western Gulls can be separated from second winter California Gulls by their larger size and heavier more bulbous-shaped bill.
© Bernardo Alps / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 10, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
First winter
Western Gulls of any age can be separated from California Gulls by their larger size and heavier, bulbous-shaped bill. First winter Western Gulls also tend to have less pink on the bill than first winter California Gulls.
© Bernardo Alps / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 24, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
Juvenile
Juvenile Western Gulls are larger than juvenile California Gulls and are often darker brown.
© Richard Bunn / Macaulay LibraryOregon, August 18, 2017Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Breeding and nonbreeding Ring-billed Gulls can be separated from California Gulls by their smaller size and paler eye. They also lack the red spot on the lower bill seen on breeding and nonbreeding California Gulls.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, September 29, 2014Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
First winter
First winter Ring-billed Gulls tend to be whiter overall than first winter California Gulls. They also have paler gray feathers coming in on the back than California Gulls.
© Brad Walker / Macaulay LibraryNew York, February 27, 2016Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
Juvenile
Ring-billed Gulls can be separated from California Gulls by their smaller size and shorter bill. Juveniles tend to be whiter overall than juvenile California Gulls.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, July 21, 2009Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Breeding adult (American)
Breeding and nonbreeding Herring Gulls are larger than California Gulls with a pale eye and pink legs unlike breeding and nonbreeding California Gulls, which have a dark eye and yellow legs.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryNew Hampshire, June 05, 2017Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Second winter (American)
Second winter Herring Gulls can be separated from second winter California Gulls by their pink legs and pale eye.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 08, 2015Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Juvenile (American)
Herring Gulls are larger than California Gulls. Juveniles tend to have a solid black bill unlike juvenile California Gulls, which have pink at the base of the bill. Also not that their legs are often pinker than Juvenile California Gulls.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 06, 2014Similar SpeciesGlaucous-winged Gull
Breeding adult
The pale gray wingtips on breeding and nonbreeding Glaucous-winged Gulls separate them from California Gulls.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryOregon, June 28, 2017Similar SpeciesGlaucous-winged Gull
Second winter
Immature Glaucous-winged Gulls have pale brown wingtips, whereas immature California Gulls have dark brown wingtips.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 18, 2007Similar SpeciesShort-billed Gull
Breeding adult (American)
Short-billed Gulls are smaller than California Gulls. At rest their wings don't extend as far beyond the tail as they do on California Gulls.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryNorthwest Territories, June 07, 2014Similar SpeciesShort-billed Gull
First winter (American)
Short-billed Gulls are smaller than California Gulls. First winter Short-billed Gulls have pale greater coverts, whereas first winter and second winter California Gulls have dark brown greater coverts.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 21, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)
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