Field Guide for all the Birds of North America
Gulls
Goélands
Larus, Pagophila, Rhodostethia & Xema
Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities
North American Bird Search Box
There are at least twenty-eight types of gull species seen in North America.
These birds are fairly well distributed throughout
the continent along the coastlines and at sea. Although gulls are referred to as seagulls on a daily basis by most people, they are
simply referred to as "gulls" in the birding society.
The gulls are no doubt some of the hardest birds to easily identify. The plumage of the juveniles of different species takes from three to four years to achieve an adult plumage. Some of the gull types have a non-breeding and a breeding plumage that change throughout the seasons. To make this even more challenging, gulls cross-breed with other types of gulls, forming hybrids that reflect the looks and characteristics of each of the parent birds.
Originally, gulls were only scavengers of the waters on lakes, rivers or oceans on the continent. Today, these same birds compete
with the crows in scavenging the city parks and food outlets. Gull species range in size from the small Little Gull with an approximate
body length of 12 inches and a wingspan of 24 inches, to the large Great Black-backed Gull with an approximate body length of 30 inches
and a wingspan in the area of 60 inches.
North American Bird Videos
Here is a list of native and vagrant gulls seen in North America.
References to Other Bird Sites:
Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.
ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.
I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.