Katherine Bickford

Seagulls or Sea Gulls?

What most people refer to as seagulls or sea gulls are actually birds in the scientifically classified family Laridae- the gull and tern” family with more than 35 species in it.

Gulls at Point Holmes, but what species?

It really does not matter what species a gull is when it drops a wet surprise on you, but if you’re curious, there are eight species that are commonly seen on Vancouver Island and much of coastal British Colombia:

• Glaucous-winged Gull—The most abundant gull on the BC coast.
• Western Gull—This species is not abundant anywhere in BC, but is regularly seen in small numbers around Vancouver Island.
• Herring Gull—Herring Gulls are fairly uncommon in the Georgia and Juan de Fuca Straits.
• Thayer’s Gull—In fall, winter, and spring, this arctic-breeder is more numerous than Western and Herring Gulls but is still often vastly outnumbered by Glaucous-winged Gulls.
• California, Ring-billed, Mew and Bonaparte’s Gulls—Smaller than the four gulls listed above and somewhat easier to distinguish based on their size and other features.

and now you know…