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Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815
Ring-billed Gull
Florida native
A very common gull both along the coasts and inland around fresh water, also found in open areas such as landfills, golf courses and parking lots, less populous in Florida during the summer. The winter range extends throughout the southern United States and Mexico and up the coasts to British Columbia and Maine, plus around the Great lakes. The breeding range includes the west coast from Northern California into British Columbia and eastward around the Great Lakes to New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
The sexes appear similar with the males slightly larger. Adults have a white head and underside, a light gray back and black wingtips with white spots. The bill is yellow with a black ring near the tip and the legs are also yellow. Juvenile and first year plumage varies including the bill and legs being pink instead of yellow until the second winter.
Larus delawarensis is a member of the Laridae - Gulls, Terns & Skimmers family.
Other species of the Larus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Larus hyperboreus - GLAUCOUS GULL
Larus marinus - GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
Larus smithsonianus - HERRING GULL
iNaturalist profile for this species
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds page for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 03, 2025
