Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

Description: As their name suggests, the defining feature of the ring-billed gull is a black band on its bill. Like the California gull, they have yellow legs and are a little smaller than Western gulls. It is easiest to spot ring-billed gulls on the North end of Cannon Beach or in Seaside.

Habitat: The ring-billed gull can be found across the continental United States, Mexico, and Southern Canada. This species of gull migrates from breeding grounds in Canada in the summer to the Pacific Coast, Southern US, and Mexico in the winter.

Nesting: Ring-billed gulls form breeding colonies across the Northern US and Canada. The make ground nests and lay 2 to 4 gray-green eggs with brown spots. Both parents incubate the eggs for 23 to 28 days. Chicks are able to wonder from the nest shortly after hatching, and fledge after about 5 weeks.

Diet: Known as “opportunistic” scavengers, ring-billed gulls will eat a large range of foods including insects, fish, rodents, and garbage.

Tide Pool Tidbits:

• It is common for ring-billed gull colonies to have a few mated pairs made of 2 female birds, working together to raise chicks without the assistance of a male.

• Studies have shown that ring-billed gulls use magnetic bearings to navigate migration. Chicks as young as 2 days old have been observed using this “natural compass”.

Reference: Audubon