2012 November Ring-billed Gull Bird-of-the-Month

(See member picture gallery below). November’s bird of the month, Larus delawarensis, is one of two fairly common gulls in Palm Beach County. It’s slightly larger than Laughing Gull, our other common larid, although both are considered medium-sized gulls. The bill of the adult is yellow with a black ring (hence the common name), whereas Laughing Gull has a black bill (reddish in breeding adult). In winter, look for the light gray back of Ring-billed (Laughing is much darker) and the white or streaked head (Laughing is darker or white with a prominent “smudge”). As with all gulls, though, age is important: Adults are clean gray above, with a white head, body and tail; their black wingtips are spotted with white. They have yellow legs and a yellow bill with a black band around it. Nonbreeding adults have brown-streaked heads. During their first two years, though, Ring-billed Gulls are a motley brown and gray with a pink bill and legs.