Fotos

Since I live in a coastal area, I often see gulls, terns and other shore birds. However, I had never seen a gull with such a brightly colored bill. After doing some research, I’ve determined that this must be a nonbreeding juvenile Heerman's Gull. In reading, I found that this gull shows that all migration in the Northern Hemisphere is not necessarily south in fall and north in spring. Some migrate north from July to October, spending winter on Pacific Coast north to Vancouver Island; while others may migrate southward as far as Panama. Nonbreeders are found year-round on the coast of California; while adults leave by January.

On its breeding grounds, on islands in Gulf of California and on San Benito Islands off west coast of Baja California, Heermann's Gull are said to commonly follow fishing boats and steals fish from Brown Pelicans. Farther north it scavenges along beaches and feeds on herring eggs.