California gulls are like most gulls and are medium in size but slightly smaller
than the Herring Gull, but resembles it in all plumages with yellow bill and black
ring near the tip and red spot on lower mandible and head and under parts white
in color. Some species of California gull have color of their back as dark grey
and legs of color yellow.
Their size varies from species to species. Generally
a gull will range in size up to 47 to 57 centimeters and including a wingspan
of 135 centimeters. California Gull weighs up to a maximum weight of 430 to 1046
grams. They can mostly be seen in the areas containing of lakes, bogs, farm fields,
lawns, pastures, sagebrush, garbage dumps, feedlots, parking lots, ocean beaches,
and Open Ocean.
This gull is common along the Pacific Coast in winter and
inland in breeding season, nesting in large colonies on the prairies. They nest
in colonies, sometimes with other birds. The nest is a shallow depression on the
ground lined with vegetation and feathers.
The female usually lays 2 or
3 eggs. Both parents feed the young birds. They mainly eat fish, insects, earthworms,
small mammals, grain, garbage, fruit, and marine invertebrates. There are two
sub-species recognized so far and named as nominate and Wyoming.
