Glaucous-winged Gull feeds its chick.

Glaucous-winged Gulls are widely distributed in coastal areas and are therefore one of our most familiar seabirds. Almost every beach, harbor or fishing boat located anywhere from the state of Washington to the Bering Sea will occasionally have a Glaucous-winged Gull sitting on it, or soaring gracefully above it. Part of the secret to their success is that they are flexible in their choice of foods. In the intertidal zone, these pale gray gulls may feed on crabs, limpets, and sea urchins. At sea, they may join feeding frenzies to gorge on dense schools of forage fish, or hang out around fishing boats and wait for scraps to be discarded. At their breeding colonies, which are usually shared with other species, Glacous-winged Gulls are fierce predators on smaller seabirds and their chicks.

Glaucous-winged Gull soars overhead.

Nesting and raising of young usually takes place on islands or steep cliffs which ground predators (like fox or mink) cannot access. Adults gulls generally lay three eggs, and successfully fledge 1-2 chicks, when food is plentiful. Juveniles take 3-5 years to mature and begin breeding. Thankfully, the Glaucous-winged Gull is common throughout its range, and no memory of hiking on a lonely, windswept beach is complete without the plaintive cry of this gull.

A Glaucous-winged Gull watches over its clutch.