Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
Very large, pale gull. Adults are mostly white with a very pale gray back; note pure white wingtips. Immatures are white or pale tan with light brown markings; also look for the distinctive pink bill with sharply demarcated black tip. Most similar to Iceland Gull but larger, larger-billed, and usually even paler; Iceland typically shows more dark markings on wingtips. Also note shorter wingtips on Glaucous that do not extend far past tip of tail. Breeds in the High Arctic; winters farther south in a variety of habitats, rarely far from a large body of water. Often seen in small numbers mixed with flocks of other large gulls. Hybridizes with Glaucous-winged Gull and Herring Gull in parts of range; hybrids can show any mix of intermediate traits and are sometimes best left unidentified.
Identification
This is a large and powerful gull, second-largest of all gull species and very pale in all plumage, with no black on either the wings or the tail. Adults are pale grey above, with a thick, yellow bill. Juveniles are very pale grey with a pink and black bill. This species is considerably larger, bulkier, and thicker-billed than the similar Iceland gull, and can sometimes equal the size of the great black-backed gull, the oft-titled largest gull species. In some areas, glaucous gulls are about the same weight as great black-backed gulls or even heavier, and their maximum weight is greater. They can weigh from 960 to 2,700 g (2.12 to 5.95 lb), with the sexes previously reported to average 1.55 kg (3.4 lb) in males and 1.35 kg (3.0 lb) in females. At the colony on Coats Island in Canada, the gulls are nearly 15% heavier than some other known populations, with a mean weight 1.86 kg (4.1 lb) in five males and 1.49 kg (3.3 lb) in seven females. One other study claimed even higher weights for glaucous gulls, as on Wrangel Island, 9 males reportedly averaged 2.32 kg (5.1 lb) and 2.1 kg (4.6 lb) in six females, which if accurate, would make the glaucous gull the heaviest gull and shorebird in the world if not (as far as is known) the largest in length on average. These gulls range from 55 to 77 cm (22 to 30 in) in length and can span 132 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in), with some specimens possibly attaining 182 cm (72 in), across the wings. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 40.8 to 50.1 cm (16.1 to 19.7 in), the bill is 4.9 to 6.9 cm (1.9 to 2.7 in) and the tarsus is 6 to 7.7 cm (2.4 to 3.0 in). They take four years to reach maturity.<p>The call is a "laughing" cry similar to that of the herring gull, but deeper.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Larus hyperboreus
- Authority
- Gunnerus, 1767
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Larus
Range and habitat
This gull breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and winters south to shores of the Holarctic.It is migratory, wintering from in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States, also on the Great Lakes. A few birds sometimes reach the southern USA and northern Mexico.
- Breeding range
- PAL, NA : circumpolar Arctic coasts
- Non-breeding range
- coasts of Hudson Bay to ne Canada, Greenland, Iceland, nw Europe (n North Atlantic); Sea of Okhotsk, Japan, sw Alaska and sw Canada; widely vagrant farther s and inland
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
This species of seagull breeds colonially or singly on coasts and cliffs, making a lined nest on the ground or cliff. Normally, two to four light brown eggs with dark brown splotches are laid.<p>These are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and they eat fish, insects, molluscs, starfish, offal, scraps, eggs, small birds, small mammals, and carrion, as well as seeds, berries, and grains.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Henderson Petrel
Pterodroma atrata
A typical uniformly grayish-brown petrel with pale mottling at the base of the bill that gives it a somewhat “frosted” facial appearance. Pale bar along the leading edge of the underwing between the body and elbow is evident in flight. Highly pelagic, visiting land only to nest. Similar to Kermadec Petrel, but lacks the white primary shafts in the upperwing of that species and is overall more uniformly colored. Providence Petrel is similar but appears much heavier-chested and paler-faced, with more extensively mottled gray-brown tones across the body. Herald Petrel is very similar, but has much more contrasting dark-and-light underwing pattern. Henderson Petrel is silent at sea.
Yellow-breasted Forest Robin
Stiphrornis mabirae
A short-tailed understory robin with a bright yellow-orange throat. Also shows a dark-green back, buff belly, and a white spot in front of the eye. Most often encountered by its song: a duet, in which the male gives high-pitched whistles and the female makes an accompanying chatter. Similar to Orange-breasted Forest Robin (potentially very limited overlap in range), but underparts more extensively yellowish-orange. Otherwise most likely to be confused with Lowland Akalat, but can always be distinguished by the white spot in front of the eye, as well as the dark-green rather than rufous-brown back, and the buff rather than white belly.
Striped Treehunter
Thripadectes holostictus
Medium-sized brownish bird of the subtropical zone in the Andes from western Venezuela to Bolivia. Bold buffy streaking on head, back, and underparts, though streaking is narrower and slightly more diffuse than on Flammulated Treehunter (especially on underparts). Singles or pairs inhabit the undergrowth of montane forest, especially around bamboo. Occurs from around 1,500–2,500 m, generally lower than Flammulated.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.