Brown or Common Noddy (Anous stolidus), family Laridae, coast of Gujirat, India
photograph by Kamruddin Alvani
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[2604/11080] Common gull - Larus canus
Order: Charadriiformes
Suborder: Lari
Family: Laridae (gulls, terns and skimmers)
Photo credit: Cody Limber via Macaulay Library
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Western Gull, Best(ern) Gull
The western gull (Larus occidentalis) is a common sight throughout the western coast of North America, from British Columbia in Canada to Baja California, Mexico. Within this range, it is found almost exclusively near the coast or on offshore islands, and only rarely turns up more than 160 km (100 miles) inland or far out at sea.
One of the larger gull species, L. occidentalis weighs about 0.8-1.4 kg (1.8-3.1 lbs) and measures 130 to 144 cm (51 to 57 in) from wingtip to wingtip. The markings are fairly plain; adults of both sexes sport a white head and body and grey or black wings. The bill is bright yellow, with a red spot on the lower portion. Because of their simple plumage, the western gull bears a strong resemblance to several other gull species that inhabit the same region, including the California gull and the glaucous-winged gull. In fact, the western gull has been known to hybridize extensively with the glaucous-winged gull, and in some regions the hybrid population is larger than either parent species.
Western gulls establish territories as mated pairs within a larger colony, and once a territory has been established they almost never relocate. Courtship begins in the spring, around March, and is usually complete by May. Males establish a nest in the colony, and prospective females arrive to inspect it. After a brief ritual, the male and female become paired for life. A typical clutch consists of 1-3 eggs, which are incubated by both parents until they hatch about a month after laying. Chicks remain at the nest for an additional 10 weeks, but mortality for young western gulls is extremely high and only 1 in 3 typically make it to independence. Adults may live to be anywhere between 15 and 25 years old in the wild.
L. occidentalis is perhaps best known for its large and voracious appetite. While strictly carnivorous in the wild, individuals will consume a variety of unappetising foods including plastic, decaying plant material, garbage, and food scraps offered by humans. In their natural habitat, the western gull feeds on fish, marine invertebrates like crabs and snails, and terrestrial invertebrates such as earthworms, beetles, and carrion. This species is also known for stealing from other animals, and groups often establish themselves near other shorebird colonies in order to poach their meals. Adults themselves are seldom predated upon by other animals, but chicks may become food for predators like foxes and coyotes.
Conservation status: Based on their large and stable population, the IUCN has determined the western gull to be of Least Concern. The most common threats to this species are contamination from pesticides and herbicides, habitat loss, and consumption of inorganic materials like plastics.
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Photos
John C. Avise
Mick Thompson
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Larus argentatus (Gråtrut i sommardräkt) | Svenska fåglar efter naturen och på sten ritade | Bröderna von Wright | rawpixel
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Can you tell us about the extinct or fossil members of Laridae or Lari? Currently hyperfixating on gulls but it has weirded me out that there doesn't seem to be any extinct species besides the Great Auk in Alcidae and 10 species in Larus of which only half seem to be described :(
SO
Laridae are in Charadriiformes
and Charadriiformes have an unfortunate quirk:
their bones are... somewhat generic
IE, traits found in Charadriiformes are found in a loooooot of other birds
As such, MANY fossils have been assigned to Charadriiformes over the years, and most have been pulled back out because... we couldn't confirm they were actually Charadriiformes
Which is a bummer, because now we don't have much of a fossil record of them!
Hopefully one day the difference between actual Charadriiformes and other birds will become clearer!
(We know they're a natural group through Genetics)
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Red-legged Cormorant (Phalacrocorax gaimardi), family Phalacrocoracidae, and Inca Tern (Larosterna inca), family Laridae, on the coast of Peru
photograph by Lev Frid
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[2647/11080] Common tern - Sterna hirundo
Order: Charadriiformes
Suborder: Lari
Family: Laridae (gulls, terns and skimmers)
Subfamily: Sterninae (terns)
Photo credit: Josiah Lavender via Macaulay Library
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