Species: Larus canus
Mew Gull
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Laridae
Genus
Larus
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Gaviota Cana - goéland cendré
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Charadriiformes - Laridae - Larus - (AOU 1983). Populations on Asian and North American sides of Beringia exhibit mtDNA differentiation consistent with species-level distinctness (Zink et al. 1995); because sample sizes were small, Zink et al. (1995) did not recommend a formal taxonomic change. Known as Common Gull in Europe (Jonsson 1992).
Ecology and Life History
Migration
false - false - true - Found throughout the year in a portion of its range.
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Along the coast feeds on fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks. Also scavenges in harbors. Inland follows farmers plowing fields and feeds on worms and insect larvae.
Reproduction Comments
Breeding begins is late May. Usually 2-3 eggs are incubated by both sexes for 22-25 days. Nestlings are semi-precocial, downy. Young are tended by both parents, fledge in about 35 days. May breed singly or in small colonies.
Length
41
Weight
432
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-27
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-27
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S2&CA.BC=S5&CA.MB=SH&CA.NF=__&CA.NT=S5&CA.NU=SNR&CA.SK=S4&CA.YT=S5&US.AK=S5&US.CA=__&US.ID=__&US.MT=__&US.OR=__&US.WA=__" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - BREEDING: in North America from northern Alaska south along coast to British Columbia and in the interior, northeastern Saskatchewan, western Mackenzie, west into northeastern Alberta and southern Yukon. In Eurasia from Faroe Islands, British Isles, Scandinavia, northern Russia, and northern Siberia south to northern Europe, Black and Caspian Seas, Lake Baikal, northern Mongolia, Anadyrland, Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, and Kurile Islands. NON-BREEDING: in North America mainly from southeastern Alaska south along Pacific coast to northern Baja California. In Old World from breeding range south to Mediterranean, northern Africa, Iraq, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, coastal China, and Japan (AOU 1983).
Global Range Code
H
Global Range Description
>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)