These pages are dedicated to those rakish scavengers from the north (okay, some are from the south): gulls! gulls! gulls! Many breed in remote locales, migrate great distances, and, in winter, form the most coveted phenomenon that birders hope for: mixed species flocks. With these habits, there exists tremendous potential for rare vagrants to show up anywhere (e.g. a Glaucous-winged Gull in Morocco!). Yet, identification remains at a primitive level-- perhaps for no other common species does there exist such a lack of knowledge of basic identification. And it's not because they're wary-- a loaf of bread will ensure you great views! It is hoped that this website may help us all with gull identification.

TO STUDENTS WORKING ON SCHOOL PROJECTS/PAPERS: yes, you have permission to use the information and images here for personal educational projects and class assignments. Such use does not violate copyright laws.

DON'T BE SHY: take a crack at QUIZ GULL #15 NEW! QUIZ GULL #14 with answer QUIZ GULL #13 with answer QUIZ GULL #12 with answer QUIZ GULL #11 with answer QUIZ GULL #10 with answer QUIZ GULL #9 with answer QUIZ GULL #8 with answer QUIZ GULL #7 with answer QUIZ GULL #6 with answer QUIZ GULL #5 with answer QUIZ GULL #4 with answer QUIZ GULL #3 with answer QUIZ GULL #2 with answer QUIZ GULL #1 with answer

SPECIAL PAGES: abbreviations, notations, and feather tracts the shades of mantle gray page how dark was the "adult gray" on that gull? a beginner's guide to aging gulls how old is that bird? taxonomy and species names variability of gull plumages includes a useful chart the moult timing page a time chart for each species (incomplete)

IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF RECOGNIZED SPECIES/SUBSPECIES
Species marked with have comprehensive plumage descriptions.

GLAUCOUS GULL hyperboreus	HEUGLIN'S GULL heuglini=taimyrensis/antelius	YELLOW-LEGGED GULL atlantis/michahellis	CALIFORNIA GULL californicus/albertaensis
ICELAND GULL glaucoides	LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL graellsii/intermedius	CASPIAN GULL cachinnans/ponticus	BLACK-TAILED GULL crassirostris
THAYER'S GULL thayeri	BALTIC GULL fuscus	("Baraba") STEPPE GULL barabensis	RING-BILLED GULL delawarensis
HERRING GULL smithsonianus	SLATY-BACKED GULL schistisagus	ARMENIAN GULL armenicus	COMMON GULL canus/heinei
HERRING GULL argenteus	GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL glaucescens	MONGOLIAN GULL mongolicus	MEW GULL brachyrhynchus
("Scandanavian") HERRING GULL argentatus	WESTERN GULL occidentalis/wymani	GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL marinus	KAMCHATKA GULL kamtchatkensis
VEGA GULL vegae	YELLOW-FOOTED GULL livens	KELP GULL dominicanus

---

HYBRIDS

GLAUCOUS-WINGED X WESTERN (Olympic/Puget Sound Gull)	GLAUCOUS-WINGED X HERRING	GLAUCOUS X GLAUCOUS-WINGED	HERRING X GLAUCOUS (Nelson's Gull)
HERRING X KELP	HERRING X GREAT BLACK-BACKED	HERRING X LESSER BLACK-BACKED	ICELAND X THAYER'S (Kumlien's Gull)

---

Thanks to all who have contributed pictures and comments! It is you who make these pages possible!

-Steve Hampton; send comments to me at shampton AT ospr.dfg.ca.gov. Most photos come from Don DesJardin; send comments to Don at birdpix AT pacbell.net.

---