Similar to Western Gull which has pink legs. Look for a dark back with bright yellow legs.
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A rare bird because of its limited
range in the U.S. It frequently visits the Salton Sea after breeding and
raising its young in the Gulf of California where it preys on other seabirds.
Similar to Western Gull which has pink legs. Look for a dark back with bright yellow legs. |
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Here is my photo of a Yellow-Footed Gull I
spotted on Mullet Island, a small isle used for nesting by Brown
Pelicans and Double-Crested Cormorants at
the Salton Sea.
The bird is at bottom center. The gulls at top are California Gulls. |
If you are interested in learning more about this bird online - I recommend you start with the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/infocenter.htmlThey present photographs, songs, identification tips, maps, and life history information for North American birds - including the Yellow-Footed Gull (oops! this is the only one without a listing, except where briefly mentioned in the Western Gull's listing)
OTHER OUTSIDE LINKS FOR THIS BIRD:
Salton Sea & Its Gulls - A terrific resource for birding at the Salton Sea presented by "SouthWest Birders.com" Web site maintained by Henry D. Detwiler. Links, birding trips, great photos, directions to sites, et. al. Also contains both mature and immature "Gull ID Tables" for the Salton Sea which includes, of course, the Yellow-footed Gull.
Texas' Record Gull - The first recorded instance of this species in Texas is displayed in these photos by Ron Weeks with field notes by Greg Lasley. Presented by "Greg Lasley's Web Page" devoted to birds and other wildlife photography.
Two More Records - Photos of YFG at Lake Powell (second State Record for Utah) and at Glen Canyon Dam which established Arizona's first State Record for this species!
This site is maintained by:
Eldon R. Caldwell
Imperial Valley College
Email: eldonc@imperial.cc.ca.us