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Home | Conservation & Education | Education Program | Meet the Birds | Western Gull

Western Gull

Larus occidentalis

Western Gull with wings out. Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
Western Gull Chick. Photo by Ariana Gastelum
Juvenile Western Gull patient. Photo by Olivia Jenkins
Western Gull photo by Julie Matsuura
Western Gull with chick. Photo by Nicholas DeNezzo
Western Gull by the ocean. Photo by Scott Jack
Western Gull with wings out. Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
Western Gull Chick. Photo by Ariana Gastelum
Juvenile Western Gull patient. Photo by Olivia Jenkins
Western Gull photo by Julie Matsuura
Western Gull with chick. Photo by Nicholas DeNezzo
Western Gull by the ocean. Photo by Scott Jack
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Western Gull with wings out. Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
Western Gull Chick. Photo by Ariana Gastelum
Juvenile Western Gull patient. Photo by Olivia Jenkins
Western Gull photo by Julie Matsuura
Western Gull with chick. Photo by Nicholas DeNezzo
Western Gull by the ocean. Photo by Scott Jack
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Species Facts

Conservation Status: IUCN  Least Concern, USFWS Bird of Conservation Concern

Description: A large, white-headed gull. Adults have a bright yellow bill, dark grey on their back and wings with black tips on the primaries, and pink legs. Juveniles are a mottled grey and take four years to fully mature into their adult plumage.

Play Western Gull call:

https://www.birdrescue.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/XC644888-Western-Gull-Thomas-G-Graves.mp3

Where to find them: Coastal areas along the Pacific, from Canada down to the northern part of Mexico. Beaches and bays are great places to spot them.

Fun Facts:

  • When we raise orphaned Western Gulls in care, we try to place them with an adult Western Gull patient so they can learn species appropriate behaviors from them.

Threats: Oil spills and other contaminants, collisions, habitat loss

How YOU can Help: Clean up after you visit the beach – always leave natural spaces better than when you found them.

Audio clip from www.xeno-canto.com Recorded by Thomas G. Graves XC644888

Additional photography courtesy of Julie Matsuura, Nicholas DeNezzo, and Scott Jack

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