California Gull (Larus californicus)
Resources
Status
- BC: Red – S1B,SNRN (2022)
- COSEWIC: Not Ranked
- SARA: Not Ranked
- Global: Secure (2016)
- Galiano Island Status: Confirmed
Description
A medium-sized gull with yellow legs, brown eyes, and a yellow bill with a black ring. Feeds on insects, fish, and the eggs of other birds. Very opportunistic, and will feed on human detritus.
Habitat
Bays, estuaries, mudflats, marshes, lakes, ponds, and agricultural lands. Nests inland on open sandy or gravelly areas on the shores of lakes and ponds.
Range
Endemic to western North America. During the autumn migration, this is the most abundant gull in waters of the British Columbia and Washington coast.
Threats
In British Columbia, breeds only at a handful of sites in the southern interior, leaving breeding populations vulnerable to human disturbance and stochastic population fluctuations.
Galiano Status
California gulls are occasionally sighted along the coastline of Galiano Island.