Larus pacificus
The Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) is a strikingly large and robust gull endemic to the southern coasts of Australia and Tasmania. Adults are readily identified by their massive, deep yellow bill, which features a distinctive red tip and a subterminal black band, contrasting sharply with their bright white head and underparts. Their back and upperwings are a glossy black, while the tail is pure white, a key differentiator from other large gulls. Measuring approximately 58-66 cm in length with...
Exclusively coastal, the Pacific Gull inhabits sandy beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, offshore islands, and increasingly, human-modified areas like ports and refuse tips.
An omnivorous and opportunistic scavenger and predator, the Pacific Gull consumes fish, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, carrion, offal, eggs and chicks of other birds, small mammals, and human refuse.
Pacific Gulls are diurnal and highly opportunistic, spending their days foraging along the coastline and roosting communally on sheltered beaches or offshore rocks at night. Their foraging strategies are diverse, involving scavenging for carrion, actively hunting marine invertebrates, and preying...
The Pacific Gull is endemic to the southern coasts of Australia and Tasmania, with its distribution stretching from Western Australia (north to about Carnarvon) eastward along the entire southern coastline, including South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales (north to about Sydney), and encompas...
Least Concern
- The Pacific Gull is the only large gull found on the southern Australian coastline with an entirely black back and a white tail. - Its massive, distinctively banded bill is exceptionally strong, allowing it to tackle large prey and crack open hard-shelled organisms. - These gulls are masters of...