The Beautiful Heermann's Gull

Birdorable Heermann's Gulls

Have you ever seen a Heermann's Gull? These birds live on the west coast of the United States and Mexico. There are about 150,000 pairs of them and 95% of these nest on the island of Isla Rasa off Baja California. Audubon calls it one of North America's most beautiful gulls. Among other gulls in this area, Heermann's Gulls are easy to identify: breeding adults are dark gray above and light gray below, they have a white head and bright red bill with black tip. They are about the same size as a Ring-billed Gull. Isla Rasa is included in the Islas del Golfo California Biosphere Reserve. Because so many of these birds nest in one place, the entire species is vulnerable to disturbances there, which include harvesting of eggs by fishermen, industrial development and predation by introduced mammals.

2 of 2 Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) Villa Creek beach, Estero Bluffs, Cayucos
Photo by Mike Baird (via Flickr)
Heermann's Gull
Photo by Mary Angelini (via Flickr)

If you like this cute gull, check out our other Birdorable terns and gulls.

Comments

Canaduck on January 7, 2010 at 8:23 PM wrote:
They are lovely gulls indeed. I was fortunate enough to see them once on a trip to southern CA.
Canaduck on January 7, 2010 at 8:30 PM wrote:
Hey, what's with the stray GW (or whatever) gull in that pic?
Arthur on January 7, 2010 at 8:46 PM wrote:
Good spotting, it's a mixed flock! ;)
Mary Angelini on March 29, 2010 at 4:52 PM wrote:
Hey, thanks for publishing my picture and giving me a shout out, I really appreciate it - Great site by the way!!! - Mary Angelini
abigail on June 5, 2010 at 2:49 PM wrote:
Gulls are cute and you want to give them all the bread, well DON'T! because they'll poop on you and they'll want more once all your bread is gone!
Louise Warner on February 27, 2017 at 7:45 AM wrote:
i love gulls ( well we do have a lot. )

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Your email address will not be published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.

American Robin Fun Facts: Learn About Its Habits and Habitat

The American Robin is one of the most familiar and beloved birds across North America. With its bright orange belly and cheerful song, it's easily recognized by both sight and sound.  Let's dive into some intriguing facts about the American Robin that may surprise even seasoned bird...

Flamingo Extreme Facts & Oddities

Flamingo Week continues today with some interesting flamingo extremes and odd facts about this family of pink birds. Extremely Social Birds Flamingos live in colonies that may number thousands of individuals. Breeding is also colonial, with birds typically separating into smaller groups of 7-25 pairs. Breeding follows synchronized dancing displays...

Meet the Southern Red Bishop: A Colorful Songbird of Africa

Today a brightly colored bird that lives in sub-Saharan Africa joins our flock! It's the Southern Red Bishop! The Southern Red Bishop is a strikingly beautiful bird that never fails to grab attention. Known for its bright, fiery plumage, this small songbird is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where...

Meet the Charming Rose Robin: A Cutie from Australia

Today’s new Birdorable is a small type of songbird found in Australia: the Rose Robin! Rose Robins live in wet forest habitat in southeastern Australia. They feed on a variety of insects, beetles, and spiders. They are named for the pretty rose-pink breast...