Photo: Basar / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Shorebirds

Heermann’s Gull

Larus heermanni

Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Mexico Birds of the United States Birds of British Columbia Birds of Ontario Birds of Alaska Birds of Arizona Birds of California Birds of Florida

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Canada Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Costa Rica Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Mexico Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of the United States Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of British Columbia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Ontario Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Alaska Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Arizona Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of California Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Florida

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The Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni) is a member of the Laridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 500 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Larus
Species heermanni

Where it lives

I. Rasa (northern Gulf of California; 90-95%); sporadic breeding on islets from Seaside (central California) and Baja California to Nayarit (western Mexico)

Quick facts

Weight: 500 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Heermann’s Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Heermann’s Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni) is a species of bird in the Laridae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA I. Rasa (n Gulf of California; 90-95%); sporadic breeding on islets from Seaside (c California) and Baja California to Nayarit (w Mexico).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 500 g, with a wing length of about 33.6 cm and a tail of around 13.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 842,000 km².

Songs & calls

Heermann’s Gull — Call, long call

Recorded by Phoebe Barnes Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Heermann’s Gull?

The Heermann’s Gull is a large bird that weighs around 500 g.

Where does the Heermann’s Gull live?

The Heermann’s Gull is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA I. Rasa (n Gulf of California; 90-95%); sporadic breeding on islets from Seaside (c California) and Baja California to Nayarit (w Mexico), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Heermann’s Gull belong to?

The Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Heermann’s Gull eat?

The Heermann’s Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Heermann’s Gull migrate?

The Heermann’s Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Heermann’s Gull endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Heermann’s Gull make?

1 real field recording of the Heermann’s Gull — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Heermann’s Gull's range?

The Heermann’s Gull has a mapped global range of about 842,000 km².