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Heermann's Gull

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Breeding adult
Nonbreeding adult
Breeding adult with Sanderling

Heermann's Gull by Andrew Johnson

Gulls

Heermann's Gull

Larus heermanni

ORDER: Charadriiformes
FAMILY: Laridae

HabitatShorelines
FoodFish
NestingGround
BehaviorGround Forager
ConservationRestricted Range

Basic Description

The strikingly marked Heermann's Gull is common along the West Coast of the United States. This gray-bodied, white-headed gull breeds in Mexico and then moves north along the Pacific Coast to southern British Columbia.

image of range map for Heermann's Gull

Range map provided by Birds of North AmericaExplore Maps

Other Names

Gaviota Plomiza (Spanish)
Goéland de Heermann (French)

Cool Facts
- The Heermann's Gull, like many other gulls, frequently steals food from other birds. The Brown Pelican is a frequent victim. An adult Heermann's Gull is most likely to try to steal food from an adult pelican, and an immature gull is more likely to steal from an immature pelican.
- The Heermann's Gull is the only North American gull that breeds south of the United States and comes north to spend the nonbreeding season. After breeding is over in July, the gull quickly comes north all the way to southern Canada. It heads back southward by December, and most breeders are at the breeding islands by March.
- Perhaps as a result of the increasing populations in Mexico, several attempts have been made by Heermann's Gulls to breed in California. The first was on the island of Alcatraz. So far these attempts have been unsuccessful, but eventual successful nesting is expected.
- The oldest recorded Heermann's Gull was a female, and at least 24 years old when she was caught and released in Oregon in 2009. She had been banded in Mexico in 1985.

Compare with Similar Species

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Parasitic Jaeger Immature dark morph is similar to Heermann's Gull

Parasitic Jaeger

Pomarine Jaeger Immature dark morph is similar to Heermann's Gull

Pomarine Jaeger

Species in This Family

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)

Black-legged Kittiwake

Black-legged Kittiwake

Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Franklin's Gull

Franklin's Gull

Heermann's Gull

Heermann's Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull

California Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Browse Species in This Family

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Heermann's Gull

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