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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 <5%
44 Verified sightings at Vancouver
10,896 In all 7 parks From 2019 to 2026
February 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 Vancouver
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 Vancouver
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Western Gull in Vancouver?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Gull sighting in Vancouver on a given day, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 221st most-seen of the 252 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 Western Gull in Vancouver?
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Gull in Vancouver on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
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 Vancouver the best place to see a Western Gull?
8th of 8
Of the 8 cities where we can rate Western Gull sightings, Vancouver ranks 8th at under 5%. The best odds are in San Diego (United States, about 60%), San Francisco (United States, about 30%) and Tijuana (México, about 30%).
Which relatives of the Western Gull live in Vancouver?
Same genus: Larus
The closest relatives of the Western Gull that you can see in Vancouver (genus Larus, Large White-headed Gulls) are Glaucous-winged Gull (about 60%), Short-billed Gull (about 10%) and Ring-billed Gull (about 10%), 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 Vancouver (44 verified sightings), 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.
