Herring Gull

Additional Bird Information Gulls Shorebirds Types of Birds

The Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), another very common Larus species, can be found throughout most of North America, north of Mexico. It's summer range extends as far north as the south coast of Alaska and the northern territories of Canada.

Pink legs and an orange to red mark on the bottom bill serve as the only real distinguishing marks of the species, which often makes for difficult identification.

California Gulls (Larus californicus), the Utah State bird, share a common bill look, however adults have yellow legs.

Thayer's Gull has pink legs and a similar looking bill. Usually the Herring Gull is distinguished by a thicker and yellower bill along with yellow eyes. The bottom picture shows a close up of the head for comparison with the Thayer's Gull.

© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels