The California
Gull Larus californicus is a medium-sized gull and is the state bird
of Utah. The habitat
is lakes and marshes in the interior of western North
America. They are migratory, most moving to the Pacific coast in
winter. It is only then that this bird is regularly found in western California.
Description
The California
Gull has the typical 'gull-like' appearance' slate-gray back and wings, white
head and body, and black wingtips with white spots. The black on the wingtips
is more extensive than that of other gulls. The California Gull's eye is dark,
and its legs are greenish-yellow. The beak is yellow with red and black marks.
Juveniles are, to varying degrees, mottled brown and white, mixed with the
adult plumage, with pink legs and beak.
Call
The call is a
scratchy, hoarse series of "aow" and "uh-uh-uh" notes.
Food
In Washington, California
Gulls feed in agricultural lands, cities, and wetlands near their nesting
areas. In agricultural areas in this state, they feed primarily on small
rodents. Insects, fish, eggs, and garbage are also part of the diet of this opportunistic
feeder.
Breeding
California Gulls
begin breeding at the age of four. They are colony nesters, sometimes in mixed
colonies with Ring-billed or Herring Gulls, although they don't typically
hybridize with either of those species. The colonies are usually large and are
often on an island. Nests are located on the ground, and may be quite close
together. The birds form monogamous pair bonds for the duration of the breeding
season and may re-pair in succeeding seasons. However, they often pair with
different birds, even when both members of a former pair are still alive. Both
help build the nest, a shallow scrape in the ground lined with weeds, bones,
feathers, and other debris. Clutches are usually 2-3 eggs, and nests with more
than 3 eggs are attributed to multiple females. Both parents help incubate the
eggs for about 3½ weeks. The young leave the nest after a few days, but stay
nearby, fed regurgitated food by their parents until they can fly at the age of
about 6½ weeks.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
In recent decades
this species has begun to breed in the southern portion of San Francisco Bay,
where it did not historically breed, and has undergone exponential population
growth. These California Gulls now inhabit large, remote salt-production ponds
and levees and have a very large food source provided by nearby landfills. The
South Bay California Gull population has grown from less than 1,000 breeding
birds in 1982 to over 33,000 in 2006.
Birdwatching
In winter,
California Gulls can be found all along the coastline, and also well offshore. It
is common from the end of March to early November in Washington. Breeders can be found in the Columbia Basin
and along the Columbia River in Klickitat
County.
Utah
Hotspots
Bear
River Migratory
Bird Refuge
Fish Springs
National Wildlife Refuge
Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge
USA Hemispheric Reserve.
Layton Wetlands
Matheson Preserve