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Heermann's Gull Identification

Heermann's Gull Breeding adult
Breeding adult

Medium-sized bulky gull. Breeding birds are uniquely marked with a dark gray body, a white head, and a red black-tipped bill.

© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2017
Heermann's Gull Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding adult

Nonbreeding adults are gray overall with a darker gray back and a red bill with a black tip.

© Christoph Moning | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 25, 2012
Heermann's Gull Breeding adult with Sanderling
Breeding adult with Sanderling

During the nonbreeding season, Heerman's Gulls typically hunt offshore for schooling fish or loaf on beaches, rocky shorelines, or estuaries.

© Brian L Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 25, 2011
Heermann's Gull Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding adult

Medium-sized gray gull unlike any other gull. Nonbreeding birds have a red bill with a black tip.

© Christoph Moning | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 14, 2010
Heermann's Gull First winter
First winter

First winter gulls are smooth brown overall with a bicolored bill.

© Marc North | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 29, 2015
Heermann's Gull Juvenile
Juvenile

Juveniles have a sooty-brown head and a scalloped looking back. Note heavy bicolored bill.

© Blake Matheson | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 10, 2017
Heermann's Gull Breeding adult
Breeding adult

Smooth gray overall with a white head, gray rump, and black tail.

© Christoph Moning | Macaulay LibraryBaja California, March 07, 2010
Heermann's Gull First winter
First winter

First winter birds are dark brown overall.

© Blake Matheson | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 01, 2017
Heermann's Gull Habitat
Habitat

Found along beaches, coastal estuaries, harbors, and lagoons. Migrates north, spending the winters along the West coast.

© Adam Jackson | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 09, 2017
See more images of this species in Macaulay Library

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Adult Description

  • Medium-sized gull.
  • Body gray.
  • Back darker.
  • Head white.
  • Bill red.

Immature Description

Juvenal plumage: Uniformly sooty brown all over. Buff edges to feather tips, giving scaly look. Bill two-toned, with pale flesh base and black tip. Eyes dark. Legs black.
First winter (Basic I): Uniformly sooty brown all over. Bill two-toned, with pale flesh base and black tip. Eyes dark. Legs black. Wing feathers and tail black.
Second winter (Basic II): Body sooty gray. Head and nape slate black. Eyes with thin, pale white crescents above and below. Secondaries and tertials dark with white tips. Tail black with narrow white band at tip.
Second summer (Alternate II): Imperfect whitish hood. Body sooty gray. Eyes with thin, pale white crescents above and below. Secondaries and tertials dark with white tips. Tail black with narrow white band at tip.
Relative Size

Relative Sizecrow sizedcrow-sized
Measurements
  • Both Sexes
    • Length: 18.1-20.9 in (46-53 cm)
    • Weight: 13.1-22.7 oz (371-643 g)
    • Wingspan: 40.9-45.3 in (104-115 cm)

Species in This Family

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)

Black-legged KittiwakeBlack-legged Kittiwake
Ivory GullIvory Gull
Sabine's GullSabine's Gull
Bonaparte's GullBonaparte's Gull
Black-headed GullBlack-headed Gull
Little GullLittle Gull
Ross's GullRoss's Gull
Laughing GullLaughing Gull
Franklin's GullFranklin's Gull
Heermann's GullHeermann's Gull
Mew GullMew Gull
Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull
Western GullWestern Gull
California GullCalifornia Gull
Herring GullHerring Gull
Iceland GullIceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed GullLesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous-winged GullGlaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous GullGlaucous Gull
Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull
Least TernLeast Tern
Gull-billed TernGull-billed Tern
Caspian TernCaspian Tern
Black TernBlack Tern
Roseate TernRoseate Tern
Common TernCommon Tern
Arctic TernArctic Tern
Forster's TernForster's Tern
Royal TernRoyal Tern
Sandwich TernSandwich Tern
Elegant TernElegant Tern
Black SkimmerBlack Skimmer

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