# Glaucous Gull (*Larus hyperboreus*) The Glaucous Gull is a large, beautiful bird with pale feathers and a strong beak. They love to live near the sea and can often be seen soaring above the waves or resting on the shore. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Glaucous Gull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Glaucous_gull_%28Larus_hyperboreus%29_with_offspring%252C_Liefdefjord%252C_Svalbard.jpg&width=800) Photo: AWeith, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glaucous_gull_%28Larus_hyperboreus%29_with_offspring%252C_Liefdefjord%252C_Svalbard.jpg) ## Appearance The Glaucous Gull is a large, pale gull with a robust body and a strong yellow beak tipped with red. Adults have very light grey upperparts and pristine white undersides, notably lacking any black on its wingtips, distinguishing it from other gulls. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Larus ## Interesting facts - Baby Glaucous Gulls are camouflaged to look like rocks! - Sometimes, these big gulls even eat tasty berries! - They often swoop in to steal food from other seabirds! - This adaptable gull can survive by drinking salty ocean water! ## Special abilities - **Arctic Survivor:** Glaucous Gull can withstand icy Arctic winds because of its dense, insulating feathers that trap warmth close to its body. - **Feather Raincoat:** Glaucous Gull has waterproof feathers that help them stay dry and warm even when diving into freezing cold water. - **Ultimate Scavenger:** Glaucous Gull can eat almost anything it finds because of its super adaptable digestive system and opportunistic nature. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 55-77 cm - **Wingspan:** 132-170 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-2.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 27-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding These big gulls eat a huge variety of foods from the land and sea, acting like nature's clean-up crew! - **Age differences:** null - **Primary Foods:** fish, crustaceans, small mammals, bird eggs, carrion, berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Thick-billed Murre (*Uria lomvia*) — eats their eggs and chicks - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Alopex lagopus*) — foxes target their eggs and chicks - **Eats:** [Ringed Seal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ringed-seal) (*Phoca hispida*) — scavenges on seal carcasses - **Hunts:** [Atlantic Cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — catches cod in coastal waters ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch from a distance and don't feed the gulls, as they can be very curious! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Glaucous Gull? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Glaucous Gull? 55-77 cm ### What is Glaucous Gull's wingspan? 132-170 cm ### How much does Glaucous Gull weigh? 0.9-2.7 kg ### How long does Glaucous Gull live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Glaucous Gull move? 65 km/h ### What does Glaucous Gull eat? These big gulls eat a huge variety of foods from the land and sea, acting like nature's clean-up crew! ### Where is Glaucous Gull usually found? Coastal areas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Glaucous Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/glaucous-gull)