Glaucous-winged Gull Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGlaucous-winged Gull
Breeding adult
Large white-headed gull with pale gray wingtips and pink legs. Breeding adult has entirely white head and underparts, and a red spot on the lower bill.
© Timo Mitzen / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 26, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Large pale gray gull with gray wingtips and a heavy bill. Nonbreeding adults have variable amounts of tan smudging on the head and neck.
© Cameron Eckert / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, October 24, 2015Breeding adult
Large gull with heavy bill, pink legs, and pale gray wings without black in the wingtips.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, July 01, 1998Not all videos have sound
Nonbreeding adult
Large pale gray gull with gray wingtips. Note the wide band of white across the folded wings.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryHokkaido, February 23, 2017First winter
First-winter birds have a heavy black bill and pale brown wingtips that are the same color as the back and wings.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryHokkaido, February 20, 2017First winter
First-winter birds are heavily mottled pale brown and white. Unlike other gulls the wingtips are pale brown. Note dark bill.
© Mark Bartolome Stevens / Macaulay LibraryOregon, April 19, 2017Second winter
Second-winter birds are smudgy brown overall. Some like this individual have less smudging on the head. Note the pale tan wingtips.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, March 25, 2011Third winter
Third-winter birds in flight have a wide white trailing edge on the wings and pale tan wingtips and tail band.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 23, 2017Nonbreeding adult
In flight, note the wide white trailing edge on the wings and the entirely gray wings (no black in the wingtips).
© Jeffrey Moore / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 03, 2012First winter
First-winter birds are pale overall with uniform pale brown wings.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryOregon, February 17, 2009Adult (with Black Oystercatcher)
Breeds on rocky islands and coastal cliffs. Forages at sea, in intertidal areas, along beaches, and at dumps.
© Brooke Miller / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 12, 2015Similar SpeciesGlaucous Gull
Adult
Glaucous Gulls of all ages have white wingtips unlike Glaucous-winged Gulls that have gray wingtips as adults and pale brown wingtips as immatures.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibrarySvalbard, June 14, 2015Similar SpeciesGlaucous Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Glaucous Gulls have white wingtips and lack of a neat row of white dots seen on the wings of Glaucous-winged Gulls.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryHokkaido, December 26, 2013Similar SpeciesGlaucous Gull
First summer
First and second cycle Glaucous Gulls have a pink bill with a black tip, whereas first and second cycle Glaucous-winged Gulls have an entirely dark bill. Also note white wingtips on Glaucous but not on Glaucous-winged.
© Steve Kelling / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2017Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Nonbreeding adult (American)
Adult Herring Gulls have black wingtips unlike adult Glaucous-winged Gulls, which have light gray wingtips.
© G & B / Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, October 22, 2016Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Second winter (American)
Immature Herring Gulls have darker wingtips than immature Glaucous-winged Gulls.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 08, 2015Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Adult and immature Western Gulls have darker gray back and black wingtips unlike Glaucous-winged Gulls that have paler gray backs and pale gray wingtips.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 25, 2012Similar SpeciesWestern Gull
Juvenile
Juvenile Western Gulls are darker brown overall than juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 04, 2014Similar SpeciesCalifornia Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Adult and immature California Gulls have darker wingtips than adult and immature Glaucous-winged Gulls.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryWashington, October 24, 2015Rotate 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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