[180] BIRDS OF OREGON 



noted several times in January 192.2. was almost certainly a Glaucous Gull. 

 We have seen several similar birds on Tillamook Bay in addition to 

 Gabrielson's specimen. 



This, the largest gull that visits Oregon, is distinguishable from all 

 others by its pale pearl-gray mantle and wings, the latter fading to pure 

 white at the tips. The remainder of the body is pure white, with some 

 dusky mottling and clouding in immature birds. There are no traces of 

 the dusky coloring and white mirrors that are found on the wing tips 

 of the other gulls. It can be confused only with the Glaucous-winged 

 Gull, its smaller and more abundant relative but can be distinguished 

 from it by the differences of the wing pattern. 



Glaucous-winged Gull: 



Larus glaucescens Naumann 



DESCRIPTION. -"Adults in summer: Mantle light pearl gray; primaries gray, with 

 distinct white tips; rest of plumage white. Adults in winter: head and neck clouded 

 with sooty gray. Young: deep ashy gray; head and neck streaked, and rest of upper 

 parts mottled with grayish white or dull buff." (Bailey) Downy young: "The 

 downy young is 'drab gray' above, variegated with 'avellaneous,' and a paler shade 

 of the same color below, fading to 'tilleul buff' on the center of the breast. It is 

 heavily spotted on the back with 'fuscous black* and on the head and throat with 

 pure black." (Bent) Si%e: "Length 2.3.70-2.7.75, wing 16. 2.5-17. 30, bill 2.. 2.0-1.60, 

 depth of bill at angle .80-. 90." (Bailey) Nest: Well made of grass, seaweed, or 

 kelp, placed either on ledges on a steep cliff or on grassy or sandy flats of small 

 islands. Eggs: 2. or 3, much like those of similar gulls, ground color buff to pale 

 olive, more or less spotted or blotched with darker browns. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on coast and adjacent islands of north Pacific as far 

 south as Destruction Island, Washington. Winters on Pacific Coast as far south as 

 Lower California. In Oregon: Abundant winter resident of coast, probably most 

 common wintering gull. Recorded from Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Douglas, 

 Lane, Coos, and Curry Counties on coast and regularly from Columbia, Multnomah, 

 and Clackamas Counties inland. Straggles inland at least as far as Morrow County. 



THE GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, the largest of the common gulls on the 

 Oregon coast, first listed by Newberry (1857), may be distinguished from 

 all others by the silvery-gray lining of its wings and the distinct white 

 tips of the primary feathers. In other words, it entirely lacks the black 

 wing tips that are found in all other gulls common in Oregon. It has 

 been observed in every month except July, although it is not known 

 to breed south of Destruction Island, Washington. It is common from mid- 

 August to late May, being found throughout the latter part of May and 

 June in diminishing numbers. Those that spend most of the summer with 

 us are probably nonbreeding individuals. As soon as the young are able 

 to fly, however, immature birds commence to appear on our coast. This 

 usually happens in early August, and by September i this species is 

 common. The great wintering flocks of gulls that frequent every harbor 



