Large white-headed gull with a heavy bill and pink legs. Breeding adults have a dark gray back, on orange ring around the eye, and a red spot on the lower bill.
Large white-headed gull with a slaty gray back. Nonbreeding birds have very little streaking on the neck, unlike other gull species of the same age.
One of the largest gulls on the Pacific Coast of North America. Note bulky proportions, heavy bill, and dark gray back.
Third-winter Western Gulls have a smudgy head and neck. Their wingtips are entirely dark, lacking the white spots seen on adults. Note the heavy bulbous-shaped bill with a dark band across the tip.
Second-winter Western Gulls have a slaty gray back and light brown mottled wings. The underparts and head are mostly white.
Second-winter birds have a mostly white head and underparts with slaty gray feathers coming in on the back and light brown wings. Note bulbous-shaped bill and pink legs.
First-winter birds are heavily mottled in gray and brown with dark primaries. The extent of brown smudging on the breast varies among individuals. This individual has a fairly advanced molt with a whiter head and underparts.
Large gull with a heavy bulbous bill and pink legs. First-winter birds are mottled brown and white in various amounts. This individual shows considerable brown smudging on the head and underparts.
Juveniles are gray-brown below with checkered back and wings. Note pink legs, heavy bill, and large size.
In flight, note broad wings with a narrow white trailing edge and small white spots on the outer primaries. The darker wingtips blend gradually into the slaty gray wings and back.
From below, note the gray secondaries and narrow white trailing edge.
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A large, heavy-bodied gull with a thick neck, large head, and heavy bill with a thick tip.
Larger than a Herring Gull, smaller than a Great Black-backed Gull.
between crow and gooseThe northern subspecies (occidentalis), found from central California to Washington, has notably paler upperparts and darker eyes than the southern subspecies (wymani), resident from central California to Baja California.
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)
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