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Ringbilled Gull

Larus delawarensis

Photo by HemaShah
Published on Project Noah
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36.7783, -119.418

Field Notes

Description:

A medium-sized, white-headed gull, the Ring-billed Gull appears similar to the Herring and California Gulls, but is smaller, with a shorter bill that has a broad, black ring around it. The Ring-billed Gull is slightly larger and bulkier than the Mew Gull. The white body and tail, slate-gray back and wings, and black wingtips with large, white spots (windows), typical of most gulls, are all present on the Ring-billed Gull. The juvenile is mottled brown mixed with adult plumage characteristics. It has pink legs and a pink bill with a dark tip. As the bird matures, the legs turn yellow, and the bill becomes yellow with a black ring. The adult's eye is also yellow. The adult in non-breeding plumage has brown streaking on its head. The Ring-billed Gull takes three years to reach maturity.

Notes:

note the yellow eye and yellow beak with black ring.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

@Emma, You got right there... I did look in my bird guide and did find out that we don't have the Ringbilled gull here...
@ Stian,thanks.I added the tail so that we could compare it to the European gulls.This gull has spotted tail whereas the European in your spotting seems to have a banded tail.
Photographed
PublishedNovember 25, 2011

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