They are found along Pacific Coast from Canada south to Mexico and inland all the way north to the Northwest Territories in summer for breeding.
They live near water on coastal beaches, lakes, and rivers and in grassy areas where they can feed. They are common in man-made foraging areas like garbage dumps.
They have a white face, chest and belly, a gray back and wings and black tail tips with white spotting. They have yellow legs and a yellow beak. The beak has a black ring near the tip and a red spot behind it on the lower part.
They are scavengers and will eat whatever they can find.
They eat fish, crayfish, insects, worms, fruit, mice, garbage and dead animals (carrion).
Females lay up to 4 greenish-tan speckled eggs in a nest made of a scratched out spot in the sand. They can nest in big groups (colonies) and the males will take a turn at protecting and warming the eggs (incubation).
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vetebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae/Subfamily: Larinae
Genus: Larus
Species: L. californicus
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Amsel, Sheri. "Gull (California)" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. March 27, 2024
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