Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens Scientific name definitions

The Glaucous-winged Gull is an abundant resident along the northwestern coast of North America, where its bold nature and omnivorous food habits make it a familiar sight in coastal cities and towns. Although generally an inshore species, it does venture away from the coast where it is often seen around fishing vessels at sea. This species has steadily increased in numbers in the last few decades, particularly around urban centers, owing mainly to environmental changes and to the availability of garbage and fish offal.

This gull generally nests at high densities in large or small colonies on offshore islands, although it has recently begun nesting on roofs of waterfront buildings. Individuals form apparently monogamous pairs, which usually stay together for several years; small nesting territories within the colony are defended vigorously and noisily against neighboring pairs. Each pair can produce up to three young in a season. This species hybridizes with Western Gulls (L. occidentalis) in the southern part of its breeding range, in northern Oregon and Washington, and with Herring Gulls (L. argentatus) and Glaucous Gulls (L. hyperboreus) in Alaska. The resulting hybrids are often difficult to identify.

The first significant study of this species was by Zella M. Schultz who examined the growth and plumage of these birds (Schultz 1951 Schultz, Z. M. (1951). Growth in the Glaucous-winged Gull: Part I. Murrelet 32 (3):35-42. Close , Schultz 1952 Schultz, Z. M. (1952). The growth of the Glaucous-winged Gull: Part II. Close ). A semi-fictional account of her work with Glaucous-winged Gulls on Protection Island, WA, was published posthumously (Schultz 1986 Schultz, Z. M. (1986). On the wings of the wild wind. Occasional paper no. #21. Close ). Elden James-Veitch and Ernest S. Booth (James-Veitch and Booth 1954 James-Veitch, E. and E. S. Booth. (1954). Behavior and life history of the Glaucous-winged Gull. Walla Walla Coll. Publ. 12:1-30. Close ) examined behavior and life history factors and provided measurement data for eggs, chick growth, and adult males and females (James-Veitch and Booth James-Veitch and Booth 1954 James-Veitch, E. and E. S. Booth. (1954). Behavior and life history of the Glaucous-winged Gull. Walla Walla Coll. Publ. 12:1-30. Close ). Kees Vermeer characterized the breeding ecology and provided extensive tabulated life history data for this species (Vermeer 1963 Vermeer, K. (1963). The breeding ecology of the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) on Mandarte Island, B.C. In Occasional Papers: B.C. Prov. Museum. Close ); he and his colleagues later expanded on this work (Vermeer 1982b Vermeer, K. (1982b). Comparison of the diet of the Glaucous-winged Gull on the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island. Murrelet 63 (3):80-85. Close , Vermeer and Devito 1987 Vermeer, K. and K. Devito. (1987). Habitat and nest-site selection of Mew and Glaucous-winged gulls in coastal British Columbia. Studies in Avian Biology 10:105-110. Close , Vermeer and Devito 1989 Vermeer, K. and K. Devito. (1989). Population trends of nesting Glaucous-winged Gulls in the Strait of Georgia. The ecology and status of marine and shoreline birds in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia:88-93. Close , Vermeer and Irons 1991 Vermeer, K. and D. B. Irons. (1991). The Glaucous-winged Gull on the Pacific coast of North America. Acta 20 Congressus Internationalis Ornithologici 4:2378-2383. Close , Vermeer et al. 1988a Vermeer, K., D. Power and G. E. J. Smith. (1988a). Habitat selection and nesting biology of roof-nesting Glaucous-winged Gulls. Colonial Waterbirds 11 (2):189-201. Close , Vermeer et al. 1989c Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan, G. E. J. Smith and R. Hay. (1989c). Fall distribution of pelagic birds over the shelf off SW Vancouver Island. Colonial Waterbirds 12:207-214. Close , Vermeer et al. 1989b Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan and G. E. J. Smith. (1989b). "Population and nesting habitat of American Black Oystercatchers in the Strait of Georgia." In The ecology and status of marine and shoreline birds in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia., edited by K. Vermeer and R. W. Butler, 118-122. Can. Wildl. Serv., Ottawa: Spec. Publ. Close , Vermeer et al. 1989b Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan and G. E. J. Smith. (1989b). "Population and nesting habitat of American Black Oystercatchers in the Strait of Georgia." In The ecology and status of marine and shoreline birds in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia., edited by K. Vermeer and R. W. Butler, 118-122. Can. Wildl. Serv., Ottawa: Spec. Publ. Close , Vermeer et al. 1991 Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan, G. E. J. Smith and B. A. York. (1991). Effects of egging on the reproductive success of Glaucous-winged Gulls. Colonial Waterbirds 14 (2):158-165. Close , Vermeer et al. 1992c Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan and P. Ewins. (1992c). "Population trends of Pelagic Cormorants and Glaucous-Winged Gulls nesting on the west coast of Vancouver Island." In Ecology, status and conservation of marine and shoreline birds on the west coast of Vancouver Island., edited by K. Vermeer, R. W. Butler and K. H. Morgan, 60-64. Can. Wildl. Serv. Occas. Pap. no. 75. Close , Vermeer et al. 1992d Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan and G. E. J. Smith. (1992d). Black Oystercatcher habitat selection, reproductive success, and their relationship with Glaucous-winged Gulls. Colonial Waterbirds 15:14-23. Close , Vermeer et al. 1994 Vermeer, K., K. H. Morgan, G. E. J. Smith and A. N. Wisley. (1994). Habitat use by waterbirds in the Cowichan River estuary. Occasional Paper no. 83:63-69. Close ). Agonistic behavior during the breeding season was detailed in a series of observational and experimental studies by John F. Stout and his students (Stout et al. 1969 Stout, J. F., C. R. Wilcox and L. E. Creitz. (1969). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens Part I. Sound communication. Behaviour 34 (1/2):29-41. Close , Stout and Brass 1969 Stout, J. F. and M. E. Brass. (1969). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens: Part II. Visual communication. Behaviour 34 (1/2):42-54. Close , Stout 1975 Stout, J. F. (1975). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens III: Description of the displays related to territorial protection. Behaviour 55 (3/4):181-208. Close , Galusha and Stout 1977 Galusha, J. G. and J. F. Stout. (1977). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens Part IV: Experiments on visual communication. Behaviour 62 (3/4):222-235. Close , Hayward Jr. et al. 1977b Hayward Jr., J. L., W. H. Gillett and J. F. Stout. (1977b). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens Part V: Orientation and sequences of behavior. Behaviour 62 (3/4):236-276. Close , Amlaner Jr. 1976 Amlaner Jr., C. (1976). A stochastic analysis of aggressive communication exhibited by Larus glaucescens to a remote controlled locomotory model during territorial defense. Close , Amlaner Jr. et al. 1977 Amlaner Jr., C. J., E. R. Schwab III, J. L. Hayward Jr. and J. F. Stout. (1977). Increases in a population of nesting Glaucous-winged Gulls disturbed by humans. Murrelet 58 (1):18-20. Close , Amlaner and Stout 1978 Amlaner, C. J. and J. F. Stout. (1978). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens. Part VI. Interactions of territory residents with a remotely controlled, locomotory model. Behaviour 66:223-251. Close , Schwab and Stout 1991 Schwab, E. R. and J. F. Stout. (1991). Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens Part VII: The role of the intruder. Close ). Nicholas A. M. Verbeek examined a variety of factors related to reproductive behavior and ecology (Verbeek 1979b Verbeek, N. A. M. (1979b). Timing of primary molt and egg-laying in Glaucous-winged Gulls. Wilson Bulletin 91 (3):420-425. Close , Verbeek 1982 Verbeek, N. A. M. (1982). Egg predation by Northwestern Crows: its association with human and Bald Eagle activity. Auk 99:347-352. Close , Verbeek 1984 Verbeek, N. A. M. (1984). The effects of adult fecal material on egg hatchability in Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). Auk 101 (4):824-829. Close , Verbeek 1986 Verbeek, N. A. M. (1986). Aspects of the breeding biology of an expanded population of Glaucous-winged Gulls in British Columbia. Journal of Field Ornithology 57 (1):22-33. Close , Verbeek 1988b Verbeek, N. A. M. (1988b). Differential predation of eggs in clutches of Glaucous-winged Gulls Larus glaucescens. Ibis 130:512-518. Close , Verbeek 1996 Verbeek, N. A. M. (1996). Occurrence of egg-capping in birds' nests. Auk 113:703-705. Close , Verbeek and Morgan 1978 Verbeek, N. A. M. and J. L. Morgan. (1978). "River otter predation on Glaucous-winged Gulls on Mandarte Island, British Columbia." In, 92-95. Close , Verbeek and Morgan 1980 Verbeek, N. A. M. and J. L. Morgan. (1980). Removal of primary remiges and its effect on the flying ability of Glaucous-winged Gulls. Condor 82 (2):224-226. Close , Verbeek and Richardson 1982 Verbeek, N. A. M. and H. Richardson. (1982). Limits to egg size in gulls: Another point of view. Journal of Field Ornithology 53 (2):168-170. Close ). Charles J. Amlaner, Nigel J. Ball and their students examined sleep behavior, including unihemispheric sleep (Shaffery et al. 1985 Shaffery, James P., Nigel J. Ball and Charles J. Amlaner Jr. (1985). Manipulating daytime sleep in herring gulls (Larus argentatus). Animal Behaviour 33 (2):566-572. Close , Ball et al. 1986 Ball, N. J., G. E. Weaver and C. J. Amlaner Jr. (1986). The incidence of hemispheric sleep in birds. Sleep Research 15:58. Close , Ball et al. 1988a Ball, N. J., C. J. Amlaner Jr., J. P. Shaffery and M. R. Opp. (1988a). Asynchronous eye-closure and unihemispheric quiet sleep of birds. Sleep 1986:151-153. Close ). Walter V. Reid evaluated reproductive and population biology (Reid 1987a Reid, W. V. (1987a). Constraints on clutch size in the Glaucous-winged Gull. Studies in Avian Biology 10:8-25. Close , Reid 1988c Reid, W. V. (1988c). Population dynamics of the Glaucous-winged Gull. Journal of Wildlife Management 52 (4):763-770. Close , Reid 1988a Reid, W. V. (1988a). Age-specific patterns of reproduction in the Glaucous-winged Gull: Increased effort with age. Ecology 69 (5):1454-1465. Close , Reid 1988c Reid, W. V. (1988c). Population dynamics of the Glaucous-winged Gull. Journal of Wildlife Management 52 (4):763-770. Close , Reid 1988b Reid, W. V. (1988b). Fledging success of experimentally enlarged broods of the Glaucous-winged Gull. Wilson Bulletin 100 (3):476-482. Close ). Joseph G. Galusha and his students examined aspects of behavior on nesting territories (Van Scheik 1980 Van Scheik, B. (1980). The effects of nest parameters and parental aggressiveness on the survival of Glaucous-winged Gull chicks (Larus glaucescens). M.Sc. thesis, Walla Walla University, College Place. Close , Opp 1983 Opp, M. R. (1983). Daily and seasonal activity patterns and spatial utilization of territory by Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). Close , Nestler 1985 Nestler, J. (1985). Auditory arousal thresholds and sleep in Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). College Place: Walla Walla University. Close , Schmidt 1986b Schmidt, D. (1986b). The numbers, distribution and behavior of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) at a sanitary landfill. M.Sc. thesis, Walla Walla University, College Place. Close , Galusha and Carter 1987 Galusha, J. G. and R. L. Carter. (1987). Do adult gulls recognize their own young: An experimental test. Studies in Avian Biology 10:75-79. Close , Kennett 1987 Kennett, M. (1987). Experimental adoption in Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens): The effect of distance from the nest. M.Sc. thesis, Walla Walla University, College Place. Close , McKee 1987 McKee, M. (1987). Adult and chick behavior during artificial adoptions in Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). M.Sc. thesis, Walla Walla University, College Place. Close , Pearson 1992 Pearson, D. (1992). Habitat, diurnal, and tidal effects on the behavior of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). Loma Linda: Loma Linda University. Close , Durr 1993 Durr, D. (1993). Parent-young communication and recognition in the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens). Close , Murdoch 1993 Murdoch, M. (1993). "Factors affecting behavioral variation of individual Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glacescens) while on territory." In. Loma Linda: Loma Linda University. Close , Forsyth 1994 Forsyth, D. (1994). A comparison of the behavior of resident and intruder Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) in a colony during territory formation. College Place: Walla Walla University. Close , Olango 1998 Olango, G. J. (1998). Time budgets and behavior of Glaucous-winged (Larus glaucescens) Gull chicks in a breeding colony. Close , Edwards 2001 Edwards, H. (2001). Aspects of juvenile behavior in the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glauscens). Close , Colburn 2004 Colburn, J. (2004). Behavior of juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) related to brood size and period of play. Close ). Samuel M. Patten examined interbreeding between this species and Herring Gulls (Patten 1974 Patten, S. J. (1974). Breeding ecology of the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) in Glacier Bay, Alaska. M.Sc. thesis, University of Washington, Seattle. Close , Patten 1980 Patten, Jr., S. M. (1980). Interbreeding and evolution in the Larus glaucescens-Larus argentatus complex on the south coast of Alaska. Phd Thesis, John Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD. Close , Patten 1974 Patten, S. J. (1974). Breeding ecology of the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) in Glacier Bay, Alaska. M.Sc. thesis, University of Washington, Seattle. Close ), and Douglas A. Bell provided genetic, behavioral, and population analyses related to the hybridization of this species with Western Gulls (Bell 1992 Bell, D. (1992). Hybridization and sympatry in the Western Gull/Glaucous-winged Gull complex. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Close , Bell 1996b Bell, D. A. (1996). Genetic differentiation, geographic variation, and hybridization in gulls of the Larus glaucescens-occidentalis complex. Condor 98(3):527–546. Close , Bell 1997a Bell, D. A. (1997a). Hybridization and reproductive performance in gulls of the Larus glaucescens-occidentalis complex. Condor 99 (3):585-594. Close ). Shandelle M. Henson, James L. Hayward, and their students developed mathematical models that describe and predict the dynamics of habitat occupancy and behavior (Henson et al. 2004 Henson, S. M., J. L. Hayward, C. M. Burden, C. J. Logan and J. G. Galusha. (2004). Predicting dynamics of aggregate loafing behavior in Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) at a Washington colony. Auk 121 (2):380-390. Close , Henson et al. 2006 Henson, S. M., J. L. Hayward and S. P. Damania. (2006). Identifying environmental determinants of diurnal distribution in marine birds and mammals. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 68 (2):467-482. Close , Damania et al. 2005 Damania, S. P., K. W. Phillips, S. M. Henson and J. L. Hayward. (2005). Habitat patch occupancy dynamics of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) II: A continuous-time model. Natural Resource Modeling 18 (4):469-499. Close , Phillips et al. 2005b Phillips, K. W., S. P. Damania, J. L. Hayward, S. M. Henson and C. J. Logan. (2005b). Habitat patch occupancy dynamics of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) I: A discrete-time model. Natural Resource Modeling 18 (4):441-468. Close ).