Heermann's Gull

Larus heermanni Cassin, 1852

500 gWeight

Heermann's gull (Larus heermanni) is a gull resident in the United States, Mexico and extreme southwestern British Columbia, nearly all nesting on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California.

Busiest months: September and November · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: September and November · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Heermann's Gull has been recorded at 122 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Pt. Pinos – seawatch onlyUnited States15,210 records
Pillar Point HarborUnited States9,227 records
Malibu Lagoon – State Beach including LagoonUnited States6,241 records

More places

Rocky Point Bird ObservatoryCanada4,633 records
Pt. PinosUnited States4,561 records
Moss Landing – Jetty Road, north jetty & State BeachUnited States4,501 records
Southeast Farallon IslandUnited States4,110 records
Edmonds WaterfrontUnited States3,564 records
Rodeo LagoonUnited States3,341 records
Point No PointUnited States2,718 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Mexico Costa Rica

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

Heermann's gull (Larus heermanni) is a gull resident in the United States, Mexico and extreme southwestern British Columbia, nearly all nesting on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California. They are usually found near shores or well out to sea, very rarely inland. The species is named after Adolphus Lewis Heermann, nineteenth-century explorer and naturalist.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Heermann's Gull?

The Heermann's Gull weighs around 500 g.

Where does the Heermann's Gull live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: Island Rasa (northern Gulf of California; 90-95%); sporadic breeding on islets from Seaside (central California) and Baja California to Nayarit (western Mexico). It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Heermann's Gull?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Heermann's Gull endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Heermann's Gull as Near Threatened.

What does the Heermann's Gull eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Heermann's Gull in?

It belongs to the family Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 500 g
Habitat: Coast & tidal flats
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Near Threatened

More measurements

Wing: 336 mm
Tail: 133 mm
Bill: 56 mm
Tarsus: 52 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: Island Rasa (northern Gulf of California; 90-95%); sporadic breeding on islets from Seaside (central California) and Baja California to Nayarit (western Mexico)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2