Ring-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull has surged: up 155% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Ring-billed Gull
The Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 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 884 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 45 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Laridae · Wetland birds
Notable Ring-billed Gull TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Ring-billed Gull has surged in surveyed states: up 155% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Ring-billed Gull Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Ring-billed Gull is projected to rise about 88% by 2029 — from 1.3 in 2024 to a central estimate of 2.5 (95% range 0.65–4.3). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±154.2%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Ring-billed Gull Is Detected
BBS routes recording Ring-billed Gull, sized by most recent count.
Ring-billed Gull Population Trend by State
Ring-billed Gull Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Ring-billed Gull Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 154% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.