Completed
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
- SpeciesLarus occidentalis (Western Gull)
In 3 days >90%
7,484 Verified sightings at Channel Islands National Park From 2019 to 2026
10,896 In all 7 parks
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Western Gull
The western gull (Larus occidentalis) is a large white-headed gull that lives on the west coast of North America and the Pacific Ocean. The western gull ranges from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California, Mexico. It was previously considered conspecific with the yellow-footed gull (Larus livens) of the Gulf of California.
The western gull is a large gull that can measure 55 to 68 cm (22 to 27 in) in total length, spans 130 to 144 cm (51 to 57 in) across the wings, and weighs 800 to 1,400 g (1.8 to 3.1 lb). The average mass among a survey of 48 gulls of the species was 1,011 g (2.229 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 38 to 44.8 cm (15.0 to 17.6 in), the bill is 4.7 to 6.2 cm (1.9 to 2.4 in) and the tarsus is 5.8 to 7.5 cm (2.3 to 3.0 in). The western gull has a white head and body, and upperparts or mantle is dark grey. The head generally remains white year-round, developing little to no streaking patterns in northern populations during the nonbreeding phase (basic plumage). It is debatable the extent of head markings can be found in pure Western Gulls as they form a hybrid zone with the glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) which... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Western Gull in Channel Islands National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Western Gull in Channel Islands National Park?
Very likely
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Western Gull sighting in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, based on 7,484 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 276 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Western Gull in Channel Islands National Park?
August
In that month over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Western Gull in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, against about 70% in April, the lowest month. That is one of Channel Islands National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 60 mm in January.
What time of day is best to see a Western Gull?
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western 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 Channel Islands National Park the best place to see a Western Gull?
Yes
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Western Gull sightings, Channel Islands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 90%. Next come El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 70%) and Redwood National Park (United States, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Western Gull live in Channel Islands National Park?
Same genus: Larus
The closest relatives of the Western Gull that you can see in Channel Islands National Park (genus Larus, Large White-headed Gulls) are California Gull (about 40%), Heermann's Gull (about 30%) and Ring-billed Gull (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Western Gull sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Gull is recorded against all the birds logged in Channel Islands National Park (7,484 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.
