Glaucous-winged gull Larus glaucescens

Identification Tips:

• Length: 22 inches
• Large gull
• Very large bill with distinct gonydeal angle
• Flat forehead and large bill give "mean" appearance

Adult alternate:

• Bright yellow bill with red spot at gonys
• Pink legs
• Dark eyes
• White head, neck, breast and belly
• Pale gray mantle
• White tertial crescent
• Pale gray primaries (do not contrast with back) have white tips
• White tail

Adult basic:

• Like adult alternate but blurry brown streaking and spotting on head and nape

Juvenile/First-year:

• Black bill
• Wholly pale brown body plumage
• Pale brown primaries do not contrast with body plumage
• Pale brown tail does not contrast with back
• Black legs quickly become pink

Second-year:

• Black bill with pink base
• Pale brown head, neck, upper breast, belly, primaries and tail
• Pale gray back

Third-year:

• Like adult basic, but often lacks adult bill pattern, wing pattern, and often retains a partial tail band

Similar Species:

Adults of all other species have primaries that contrast with the back color. Glaucous-winged is one of the largest and "meanest-looking" gulls and can often be distinguished just by shape. Young birds also show no contrast between the body and primaries. First-winter plumage is very similar to Thayer' Gull, which has slightly darker primaries and secondaries and a smaller bill (with shallower gonydeal angle), rounder head and smaller size. Glaucous-winged and Western gulls hydridize extensively so beware of intermediate-plumaged hybrids.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.