Pacific Gull

Larus pacificus

The Pacific Gull is a very large gull, native to the coasts of Australia. It is moderately common between Carnarvon in the west, and Sydney in the east, although it has become scarce in some parts of the south-east, as a result of competition from the Kelp Gull, which has "self-introduced" since the 1940s.
Musselling In - Pacific Gull  Australia,Geotagged,Larus pacificus,Pacific Gull,Winter

Appearance

Pacific Gulls are the only large gulls in their range, besides the occasional Kelp Gull. This species can range in length from 58 to 66 cm and span 137 to 157 cm across the wings.

They typically weigh from 900 to 1,180 g. This species is mostly white, with dark wings and back, and a very thick, powerful, red-tipped yellow bill.

Young birds are mottled-brown all over, and attain their adult plumage only gradually: by its fourth year, a young Pacific Gull has usually become difficult to tell apart from an adult bird.
Pacific Gull  Australia,Geotagged,Larus pacificus,Pacific Gull,Winter

Naming

There are two subspecies: the nominate eastern race prefers sheltered beaches, the western race ''georgii'' is commonly found even on exposed shores. Both subspecies nest in pairs or loose colonies on offshore islands, making a cup of grasses and sticks in an exposed position, and laying two or three mottled brown eggs.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyLaridae
GenusLarus
SpeciesL. pacificus
Photographed in
Australia