Identification Chart for Pacific Northwest Gulls (Breeding Adults)

White Head, White Tail

Species Mantle Bill Legs Iris Eyering
Ivory white yellowish with greenish base and orange tip black brown red
Glaucous very pale gray yellow with red spot pink pale yellow yellow to yellow-orange
Iceland very pale gray yellow with red spot pink pale yellow red
Herring pale gray yellow with red spot pink pale yellow yellow-orange
Thayer's pale gray yellow with red spot pink brown to dull yellow reddish-purple
Ring-billed pale gray yellow with black ring yellow pale yellow orange-red
Ross's pale gray blackish red brown red
Glaucous-winged neutral gray yellow with red spot pink brown to pale brown pink to purple
California neutral gray yellow with red and black spots green to gray brown red
Mew neutral gray dull yellow dull yellow brown red
Black-legged Kittiwake neutral gray yellow black brown red
Western dark gray yellow with red spot pink yellow to pale brown yellow-orange
Red-legged Kittiwake dark gray yellow red brown red
Great Black-backed very dark gray yellow with red spot pink pale yellow red
Slaty-backed very dark gray yellow with red spot pink pale yellow reddish
Lesser Black-backed very dark gray yellow with red spot yellow pale yellow red

 

White Head, Dark Tail

Species Mantle Bill Legs Iris Eyering
Heermann's dark brownish-gray red with black tip black brown red

 

Dark (Black, Dark Brown, Gray) Head, White Tail

Species Mantle Bill Legs Iris Eyering
Black-headed very pale gray dark red dark red brown maroon-red
Bonaparte's pale gray black orange-red brown black
Little pale gray blackish reddish brown brown
Sabine's neutral gray black with yellow tip black brown red
Laughing dark gray dark red dark red brown red
Franklin's dark gray red red brown red