2014 Bonanza Bird #6: Ring-billed Gull

The 6th bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a familiar species of gull. It's the Ring-billed Gull!

Birdorable Ring-billed Gull

The Ring-billed Gull is a "white-headed" medium-sized species of gull found across much of North America. In fact, it may be North America's most common gull. They nest near bodies of fresh or marine water in colonial groups.

Ring-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull by Amy Evenstad

Ring-billed Gulls are known for their skilled flying ability. They can be fast, graceful and agile on the wing. Ring-billed Gulls are even known to steal food from other birds -- in flight! They will practice this skill by playing with an object while in the air, dropping the object, and then swooping down to pick it up again. In non-breeding season, Ring-billed Gulls may roost and forage together in very large flocks, sometimes with other gulls. Ring-billeds seem to like their personal space: they will often stand evenly spaced, keeping at least 1 to 2 meters between each bird. The Ring-billed Gull joins Birdorable today, bringing our total number of bird species to 564. Our Bonanza concludes tomorrow with a striking bird of southeast Asia that also has "bill" in its name. Can you guess tomorrow's species?

Bonanza2014Preview7

Cute Ring-billed Gull Gifts

Comments

Gustavo Carvalho on November 21, 2014 at 12:39 PM wrote:
Looking at the shape and the name with ''bill'' maybe a Broadbill? If it's a broadbill and it's from southeast Asia,maybe a Black-and-Red Broadbill or a Silver-Breasted Broadbill or a Black-and-Yellow Broadbill as they are the most common ones :)
Louise Warner on February 27, 2017 at 7:38 AM wrote:
black and yellow broadbill!
Louise Warner on February 27, 2017 at 7:41 AM wrote:
i men't black-and-yellow or black-and-red and silver- breasted broadbill.
Spurwing Plover on January 26, 2022 at 7:53 AM wrote:
I have seen Ring Bills in Yreka Ca they hang around in Greenhorn Park and the Fast Food places(McDonalds,Burger King)and i once saw some at a Car Wash squabbling over Dropped Taco
Spurwing Plover on January 14, 2023 at 8:05 AM wrote:
Steven Seagull

Leave a comment

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.
Your email address will not be published
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

Introducing the Birdorable Red Junglefowl: The Ancestor of the Domestic Chicken

Today’s new Birdorable is one of four species of junglefowl in the world. It’s the Red Junglefowl, and the 750th bird species on Birdorable! The Red Junglefowl is an exotic tropical species with a familiar look, due to it being a primary ancestor of...

Meet the Birdorable Little Blue Heron: A Bird of Two Colors

Today we add a small wader to Birdorable: the Little Blue Heron!Little Blue Herons are New World wading birds with a wide distribution covering parts of North and South America. They are found near wetland habitats, where they feed, roost,...

Truth or Tale? The Egyptian Plover and the Myth of the Crocodile Bird

The Egyptian Plover is a beautiful species of wader that lives in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the common name, their present range does not extend to any part of Egypt. The bird is sometimes known by another name: Crocodile Bird. During his travels to Egypt in 459...

T-Shirt Tuesday: Pair of Belted Kingfishers

If you live in North America and you love birds then you are probably familiar with the Belted Kingfisher, which can be found across the continent from coast to coast. This cute design features a pair of Birdorable Belted Kingfishers. Can you tell the difference between...