Short-billed Gull Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesShort-billed Gull
Breeding adult
Small white-headed gull with a little yellow bill and yellow legs. Head looks very round and petite. Breeding adults have a red ring around the eye.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryNorthwest Territories, June 07, 2014Nonbreeding adult
Small to medium-sized gull with a little yellow bill and a round head. Nonbreeding adults have smudgy tan marks on the head and neck.
© Matthew Pendleton / Macaulay LibraryUtah, January 20, 2017First winter (American)
Note small bill and rounded head. First-winter birds have gray back, brown markings on the wings, and barred undertail coverts.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 18, 2011Not all videos have sound
First winter
First-winter birds start to acquire pale gray back feathers, but are otherwise tan with white fringing. Note small bicolored bill.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 21, 2017Juvenile
Juveniles are pale brown with white feather edging. Note dark barring on the undertail coverts.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 27, 2010Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding adults in flight show large white spots on the primaries.
© Nick Bonomo / Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, March 20, 2016First winter
First-winter birds have dark flight feathers, a pale rump, and brown tail feathers with lighter brown tips.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 21, 2017Habitat
Breeds in marine and freshwater environments including tundra, marshy areas, ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. Frequently gathers along streams, lakeshores, and coastal mudflats.
© Ian Routley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, May 03, 2014Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
Breeding adult
Adult Ring-billed Gulls can be separated from breeding and nonbreeding adult Short-billed Gulls by the black band around their larger bill and their yellow eyes.
© Jeremy Collison / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 28, 2017Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
Second winter
Ring-billed Gulls are larger than Short-billed Gulls with a longer and heavier bill. Second-winter gulls show less contrast between the white tertials (aka crescent) and pale gray greater coverts than Short-billed Gulls, which have a wider and more obvious white crescent.
© Tom Edell / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 16, 2017Similar SpeciesRing-billed Gull
First winter
Size and shape are generally the best features to separate immature Ring-billed and Short-billed Gulls. Ring-billed Gulls are larger than Short-billed Gulls with a longer, heavier bill, and a less round head. First-winter gulls are often whiter below than first-winter Short-billed Gulls.
© Brad Walker / Macaulay LibraryNew York, February 27, 2016Similar SpeciesCalifornia Gull
Breeding adult
All ages of California Gulls can be separated from Short-billed Gulls by their larger size and longer, stouter bill. Breeding adults also have a red spot on their lower bill that Short-billed Gulls lack.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 01, 2008Similar SpeciesCalifornia Gull
First winter
Size helps separate the larger and longer billed California Gull from the smaller and daintier Short-billed Gull. First-winter gulls have dark brown greater coverts, whereas first-winter Short-billed Gulls often have pale gray greater coverts.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryBaja California Sur, March 19, 2009Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Breeding adult (American)
All ages of Herring Gulls can be separated from Short-billed Gulls by their larger size and larger, stouter bill. Breeding and nonbreeding adults have a pale eye and pink legs, whereas Short-billed Gulls have a dark eye and yellow legs.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryNew Hampshire, June 05, 2017Similar SpeciesHerring Gull
Second winter (American)
Immature Herring Gulls are larger with a heavier bill than Short-billed Gulls in all ages. Also note leg color difference; pink on Herring, but yellow on Short-billed.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 08, 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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