Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls
Short-billed Gull
Larus brachyrhynchus
- Family
- Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls (Laridae)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
Overview
The short-billed gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) is a species of gull that breeds in northwestern North America. In North America, it was previously known as the mew gull, when it was considered conspecific with the palearctic common gull (Larus canus). Most authorities, including the American Ornithological Society in 2021, have split the two populations as distinct species.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Alaska mainland eastward to northwestern Alberta and southward to southwestern British Columbia (southwestern Canada); winters Pacific coast from southern British Columbia southward to northwestern Baja California (northwestern Mexico).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Short-billed gull
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
