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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Shorebirds and Allies (Order Charadriiformes)

-Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (Family Laridae)

-Gulls (Subfamily Larinae)

-Large White-headed Gulls (Genus Larus)

-American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)


The American Herring Gull is a large gull with a gray and white adult plumage, black wingtips, yellow bill with a red spot, and pink legs. Juveniles are mottled brown and take four years to reach full adult coloration. These are common, opportunistic scavengers found across North America, known for their loud, competitive nature and varied diet. American Herring Gulls are highly opportunistic and are frequently seen near human activity like parking lots, fishing boats, and garbage dumps.

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Diet

  • Omnivorous and highly opportunistic, feeding on fish, crabs, shrimp, molluscs, marine worms, insects, and other aquatic invertebrates.

  • Also scavenges carrion, garbage, eggs, chicks of other birds, and food scraps.

  • Forages along beaches, estuaries, mudflats, harbours, fishing docks, landfills, reservoirs, and agricultural fields.

Range

  • Breeds across Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern and north-central United States.

  • Winters along the coasts and inland waters of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America.

  • In Mexico, it is an uncommon to fairly common winter visitor along both the Pacific and Gulf coasts, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is found on beaches, estuaries, coastal lagoons, harbours, and offshore waters.

  • Present mainly from late autumn through early spring.

Male / Female

  • Male: White head and underparts, pale grey back and wings, black wingtips with white "mirrors," pink legs, and a yellow bill with a red spot on the lower mandible. Slightly larger with a heavier bill and broader head.

  • Female: Similar in plumage but generally smaller and more slender.

  • Juveniles: Mottled brown with a dark bill, gradually acquiring adult plumage over four years.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size and bill differences.

Size

  • Length: 56–66 cm (22–26 in)

  • Wingspan: 138–158 cm (54–62 in)

  • Weight: 800–1,500 g (1.8–3.3 lb)

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