Heerman's gull Larus heermanni

Identification Tips:

• Length: 15 inches
• Medium-sized gull
• Fairly short, small bill with indistinct gonydeal angle

Adult alternate:

• Bright red bill with dark tip
• Black legs
• Dark eye
• White head
• Dark gray back and upperwings
• Gray underparts
• White tertial crescent
• Black primaries
• White trailing edge to wings
• Black tail with thin white terminal band

Adult basic:

• Like adult alternate but dark streaks about gray head

First-year:

• Pale bill with black tip
• Black legs
• Black plumage
• Wings dark brown

Second-year:

• Like first-winter but plumage grayer

Similar species:

The very dark plumage of this gull make it unlikely to be confused with other gull species.

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