Spotted Sandpiper 



Bruce Pitcher 



CALIFORNIA GULL (Larus californicus) 



The California gull is an opportunist that allows few sources of food to 

 escape its notice. In Yellowstone and Grand Teton, as elsewhere, this 

 species follows the fisherman, feeding on discarded fish and fish entrails. 

 However, fish are but one item in a varied diet which includes mice, a 

 variety of insects, and where available, edible parts of garbage. The adult 

 California gull has a gray mantle with black wing tips, greenish legs, and 

 a yellow bill with a red or red and black spot. The plumage of immature 

 gulls reflects their age and sexual development. First-year gulls are mottled, 

 dusky brown with flesh-colored bills, while second-year birds are pale 

 gray. California gulls are common on larger lakes and rivers in both Yel- 

 lowstone and Grand Teton. 



Mourning Dove 



Joe Van Wormer 



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