About the Grey Gull
The grey gull, also known as garuma gull, is a medium-sized gull native to South America. Unusual among gulls, it breeds inland in the extremely dry Atacama Desert in northern Chile, although it is present as a non-breeding bird along much of the Pacific coast of South America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The sexes are similar in grey gulls. Adults grow to a length of about 45 cm (18 in) and weigh some 360 to 400 g (13 to 14 oz). The head is white in summer but brownish-grey in winter. The body and wings are grey with the dorsal surface rather darker than the ventral region. The flight feathers are black and the inner primaries and the secondaries have white tips, visible in flight. The tail has a band of black with a white trailing edge. The legs and beak are black and the iris is brown. The call is similar to that of the laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Grey Gull lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Germany.
When to see the Grey Gull
Peak activity in July · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Dolphin GullLeucophaeus scoresbiiThe dolphin gull, sometimes erroneously called the red-billed gull, is a gull native to southern Chile and Argentina, and the Falkland Islands.
Lava GullLeucophaeus fuliginosusThe lava gull is a distinctive gull, 51 to 55 cm (20–22 in) and weighs 380 g (13 oz).
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanIt breeds in central provinces of Canada and adjacent states of the northern United States.
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