>Question to you folks familiar with California Gulls: does a
>juvenile Calif Gull ever have a totaly black bill?? The literature I
>have states that a juv. Calif has a pink bill with a definate black
>tip.
>Here's why I ask: yesterday, along the north shore of Lake Superior,
>as I sat in my car having a burger and fries, the usual gang of Ring-
>billed Gulls and Herring Gulls stood watch, ready to mooch something.
> Then appeared a juvenile gull with totaly black bill, extensive
>dusky ear coverts/eye crescent, very long wings, and slimmer, more
>rounded forehead, with a bill that was smaller and slimmer than the
>Herrings. It was quite a bit larger than the Ring-bills and a bit
>smaller than the Herrings. The Herrings also had dark bills, but
>with a bit of tannish color on the lower mandible. Using my precious
>french fries I lured everyone to the side of my car for good field
>note taking. God, for a camera!!
>Anyway, I'm thinking juvenile Thayer's Gull, others are thinking
>Calif Gull. Neither should be around now. What think ye?? Thanx
>and CHEERS
>Gary Otnes
>Fergus Falls, MN
>otnesg at mdh-fergus-falls.health.state.mn.us

When they fledge, many (all?) juvenile California Gulls have entirely black
bills, which get pink at the base quite rapidly during the late summer. I
would have described a California Gull as a bit larger than a Ring-bill and
quite a bit smaller than a Herring, in contrast with your size comparison.
You didn't describe the plumage, so I can't comment on the species ID.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416