
A large, pink-legged four-year gull of the Pacific Coast. Alternate Adult has medium gray mantle, slightly darker gray wingtips with white subterminal spots and very limited white tips on the outer primaries, white body, dark eye, pink legs, and yellow bill with red spot at the tip. Basic Adult has faint brown bars on head and neck that create a dirty or smudgy look. Third-cycle birds have pink bill with ragged black tip. Second-cycle birds are mottled light brown on head and underparts with pale gray back and dark bill. First-cycle birds are mottled gray-brown overall--darker as juveniles and becoming progressively paler through their first winter and spring--with dark bill; primaries are same color as rest of wing. In some seasons, primaries can become so worn as to appear white. Hybridizes extensively with Western Gull, resulting in a wide assortment of confusing intergrades. Compare Western and Glaucous Gulls.
Length: 66 (cm) Wingspan: 147 (cm)
Voice:
Hoarse, trumpeting, and hollow-sounding bugling notes.
Habitat:
Coastal areas, reservoirs, garbage dumps, wet fields, rivers.
Behavior:
Breeds colonially. Nest is a mat of vegetation on ground or rocky ledge. Sometimes flocks with other gulls, especially in winter. May be seen eating sea stars that look far too big to be ingested.
Feeding:
Forages on water or land. Eats a wide variety of small animals, fish, carrion, and human scraps.
Field Notes

Very Very Regularly Breed with Western Gull resulting a hybrid Olympic Hull
Citation: Personal Experience. I observe this regularly, highly confident.
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
---|---|---|
11/10/14 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
01/31/15 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
01/31/15 | Dave Irons, OR | 5 |
01/06/15 | Marlowe Kissinger, OR | 1 |
01/10/15 | Dave Irons, OR | 1 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 1 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 5 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 5 |
05/23/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 1 |
02/22/14 | Bob Archer | # |
12/06/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 50 |
12/06/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 6 |
12/06/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 15 |
10/05/13 | Bob Archer | # |
09/28/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 1 |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
JC Blake added a note to Glaucous-winged Gull Notes | 5/09/2013 at 4:39PM |
Clayton Crofton asked a question for the Glaucous-winged Gull | 7/26/2012 at 8:57PM |
Maya Mudd added Glaucous-winged Gull to their Decatur Island smart list | 6/04/2012 at 11:04PM |
Dan Mitchell added Glaucous-winged Gull to their Boiler Bay, Lincoln County, Oregon smart list | 7/30/2011 at 6:28PM |