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Mew Gull

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Breeding adult (American)
Nonbreeding adult (American)
First winter (American)

Mew Gull by Teri Franzen

Gulls

Mew Gull

Larus canus

ORDER: Charadriiformes
FAMILY: Laridae

HabitatShorelines
FoodOmnivore
NestingGround
BehaviorGround Forager
ConservationLow Concern

Basic Description

One of the smallest of the "white-headed" gulls, the Mew Gull is common along Pacific Coast beaches in winter. It also occurs in Eurasia, where it is known at the "Common Gull."

image of range map for Mew Gull

Range map provided by Birds of North AmericaExplore Maps

Other Names

Gaviota Cana (Spanish)
Goéland cendré (French)

Cool Facts
- The Mew Gull has an extensive breeding range, with three distinct forms that are sometimes considered different species. The European form, known as the "Common Gull" has less white in the wingtips than the American form, or "Short-billed Gull," and its first-year plumage is much paler. The eastern Asian form known as "Kamchatka Gull" is larger, with a larger bill, and pale yellow eyes.
- Although the Mew Gull is a common bird along the Pacific Coast, it is a rarity in the East. Birds that appear along the Atlantic Coast are likely to be from Europe.
- The Mew Gull is the only "white-headed" gull that regularly uses trees for nesting.
- The European form of the Mew Gull, the "Common Gull," closely resembles the American form in adult plumage, but the two forms differ more in juvenile and first winter plumages. The American form is all dirty gray, with a mostly dark brown tail and dusky wings. The European form is much more black and white, with a paler head and underparts, a white rump and upper tail, a black band on the tip of the tail, blackish wingtips, and a dark line along the back of the wing (the secondaries).
- The oldest recorded mew Gull was at least 20 years, 8 months old when it was found in British Columbia in 2007. It had been banded in Alaska in 1986.

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Ring-billed Gull Breeding adult is similar to Mew Gull

Ring-billed GullBreeding adult

Ring-billed Gull Second winter is similar to Mew Gull

Ring-billed GullSecond winter

Ring-billed Gull First winter is similar to Mew Gull

Ring-billed GullFirst winter

California Gull Breeding adult is similar to Mew Gull

California GullBreeding adult

California Gull First winter is similar to Mew Gull

California GullFirst winter

Herring Gull Breeding adult (American) is similar to Mew Gull

Herring GullBreeding adult (American)

Herring Gull Second winter (American) is similar to Mew Gull

Herring GullSecond winter (American)

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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

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