Ring-billed Gull

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ring-billed Gull sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 235th most-seen of the 270 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

Any time of year. In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Ring-billed Gull?

Between noon and 3 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ring-billed Gull sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Big Bend National Park the best place to see a Ring-billed Gull?

33rd of 34. Of the 34 parks where we can rate Ring-billed Gull sightings, Big Bend National Park ranks 33rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 60%), Voyageurs National Park (United States, about 50%) and Padre Island National Seashore (United States, about 50%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the Ring-billed Gull live in Big Bend National Park?

Same order: Charadriiformes. The closest relatives of the Ring-billed Gull that you can see in Big Bend National Park (order Charadriiformes, Shorebirds and Allies) are Spotted Sandpiper (about 10%) and Killdeer (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Ring-billed Gull sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Ring-billed Gull is recorded against all the birds logged in Big Bend National Park (14 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Larus delawarensis

Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
SpeciesLarus delawarensis (Ring-billed Gull)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at Big Bend National Park

In 3 days <5%

14 Verified sightings at Big Bend National Park From 2019 to 2026

26,706 In all 34 parks

November Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge City Classics WorldwideMedium

About the Ring-billed Gull

The ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) is a medium-sized gull native to North America, breeding in Canada and the northern Contiguous United States, and wintering mainly in the United States and northern Mexico. The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific delawarensis refers to the Delaware River.

The ring-billed gull is a medium-sized gull, having an average length of 43 to 54 centimetres (16.9 to 21.3 in) and a wingspan that ranges from 105 to 117 centimetres (41.3 to 46.1 in). Adults weigh from 300 to 700 grams (10.6 to 24.7 oz).

The head, neck and underparts are white; the relatively short bill is yellow with a black ring; the back and wings are silver grey with black wingtips with white 'mirrors'; and the legs are yellow. The eyes are yellow with red rims. This gull takes three years to reach its breeding plumage starting with the largely brown juvenile plumage, its appearance changing with each fall moult.

The average lifespan of an individual that reaches adulthood is 10.9 years. The oldest ring-billed gull on record was observed in Cleveland in 2021, still alive at the age of 28 years... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:18

Canada · 2023

Recording0:13

Canada · 2018

Flight call0:20

United States · 2013

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 3 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
2	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
3	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
4	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
5	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
6	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
7	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
8	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
9	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
10	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
11	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
12	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
13	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
14	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
15	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
16	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
17	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
18	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
19	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
20	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
21	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
22	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
23	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
24	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
25	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
26	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
27	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
28	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
29	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
30	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
31	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
32	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
33	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
34	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Toronto	🇨🇦 Canada	~70%
2	Montreal	🇨🇦 Canada	~70%
3	Chicago	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
4	Edmonton	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
5	Calgary	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
6	New York City	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
7	Denver	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
8	Baltimore	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
9	Detroit	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
10	Boston	🇺🇸 United States	~30%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Cameron Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Animal Forest	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	South Carolina Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Charadrius vociferus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Gallinago delicata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Phalaropus tricolor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa solitaria

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Recurvirostra americana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Himantopus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Bartramia longicauda

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa melanoleuca

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Numenius americanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Calidris minutilla

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa flavipes

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ring-billed Gull sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 235th most-seen of the 270 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Ring-billed Gull?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ring-billed Gull sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Big Bend National Park the best place to see a Ring-billed Gull?

33rd of 34

Of the 34 parks where we can rate Ring-billed Gull sightings, Big Bend National Park ranks 33rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 60%), Voyageurs National Park (United States, about 50%) and Padre Island National Seashore (United States, about 50%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Ring-billed Gull live in Big Bend National Park?

Same order: Charadriiformes

The closest relatives of the Ring-billed Gull that you can see in Big Bend National Park (order Charadriiformes, Shorebirds and Allies) are Spotted Sandpiper (about 10%) and Killdeer (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Ring-billed Gull sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Ring-billed Gull is recorded against all the birds logged in Big Bend National Park (14 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Big Bend National Park

Ring-billed Gull

About the Ring-billed Gull

Sounds

Recent sightings of Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Spotted Sandpiper

Killdeer

Wilson's Snipe

Wilson's Phalarope

Solitary Sandpiper

American Avocet

Black-necked Stilt

Upland Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs

Long-billed Curlew

Least Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

When is the best time to see a Ring-billed Gull in Big Bend National Park?

What time of day is best to see a Ring-billed Gull?

Is Big Bend National Park the best place to see a Ring-billed Gull?

Which relatives of the Ring-billed Gull live in Big Bend National Park?

Where does the Ring-billed Gull sighting chance come from?