Identification Photos: Heermann’s Gull, Larus herrmanni: The Heermann’s Gull is an omnipresent, but shy, member of the Laridae Family which includes gulls, jaegers, skuas, and terns. The Heermann’s Gull is the most easily recognized North American gull, as it has a light gray belly, dark gray back and wings, black legs and feet, and a white-edged tail.

The head is pure white in summer and mottled with dark gray in winter. The coloration of the beak varies from black in juveniles to black tipped red in adults. Juveniles are a uniform dark sooty brown and require four years to acquire adult coloration. Adults are about 19 inches in length, with wingspans of 51 inches and weight just over one pound.

The Heermann’s Gull is exclusively a coastal species that ranges only a few miles out to sea to feed on small pelagic fish including anchovies and sardines, and occasionally on crustaceans and mollusks scavenged from the beach, kelp beds, and dumps. It is known to be a kleptoparasite of brown pelicans and elegant and royal terns.

The Heermann’s Gull nests in midsummer, building its nests on the ground. The nests are composed of sticks and small rocks between large rocks and boulders. Each clutch consists of one or two eggs, variously colored and patterned with dark spots and blotches. The eggs and chicks are preyed upon by the yellow-footed gull.

Nesting colonies are found on the islands in the Gulf of California, with the largest on Raza Island (200,000 pairs) and Little Cardinosa Island. Much smaller colonies (300 pairs) are found on San Benito and San Roque Islands off the Pacific Coast and on southern islands off the Mexican mainland to Nayarit. During the summer Heermann’s Gulls migrate north as far as British Columbia.

Heermann’s Gull, Larus herrmanni: A true friend of the fisherman and excellent "fish finder" which can be seen in groups of 50 to 80 either on the shore or at sea. At sea they are found in transit, diving and consuming food, which is indicative that a large predator has pushed the bait fish to the surface, or resting after eating a feast. Photos courtesy of Carol Snow.