Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull has surged: up 100% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the Glaucous-winged Gull
The Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) is a North American member of the Gulls, Terns & Skimmers (Laridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the wetland birds.
- Size
- 8.5–31.5 in long (22–80 cm) — a long-winged waterbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Marshes, ponds, lakeshores and other freshwater wetlands.
- Diet
- Aquatic invertebrates, small fish, frogs and plant matter.
- Range
- Recorded on 93 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 4 states, most concentrated in the Northern Pacific Rainforest.
- Family
- Laridae · Wetland birds
Notable Glaucous-winged Gull Trends
Glaucous-winged Gull has surged in surveyed states: up 100% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
Glaucous-winged Gull Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Glaucous-winged Gull is projected to rise about 72% by 2029 — from 0.11 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.19 (95% range 0.00–0.45). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±152.9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.46 |
| 2026 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.46 |
| 2027 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.46 |
| 2028 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.45 |
| 2029 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.45 |
Where the Glaucous-winged Gull Is Detected
BBS routes recording Glaucous-winged Gull, sized by most recent count.
Glaucous-winged Gull Population Trend by State
| Alaska | +214% | 1974 | 60 |
| California | -26% | 1976 | 8 |
| Oregon | -17% | 1973 | 5 |
| Washington | -71% | 1970 | 20 |
Glaucous-winged Gull Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| BCR 2 | -75% | 1985 | 17 |
| BCR 4 | -99% | 1982 | 19 |
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -53% | 1970 | 53 |
Glaucous-winged Gull Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 100% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.