Western Gull

Overview
Western Gull: Large gull, gray upperparts, white head, neck, tail and underparts. Yellow eyes. Bright yellow bill with red spot near tip; Pale pink legs and feet. Gray upper wings, white-edged with white-spotted black tips. Direct flight, strong, steady wing beats, soars on thermals.

Range and Habitat
Western Gull: Breeds on Pacific coast from Washington to Baja California. During winter, regularly occurs north to British Columbia. Preferred habitats include coastal waterways, beaches, harbors, dumps, and open ocean.

INTERESTING FACTS
The Western Gull was previously considered conspecific with the Yellow-footed Gull. It was one of the antagonists in Alfred Hitchcock's famous movie, The Birds, which was filmed in Bodega Bay, California. They typically live 15 years, but can live to at least 25 years. A group of gulls has many collective nouns, including a "flotilla", "gullery", "screech", "scavenging", and "squabble" of gulls.