Immature Gulls

Salton Sea - Winter Plumage Immature Gulls
Below are some of the more prominent features of winter-plumage immature sea gulls (sorted by size) that you might see on your visits to the Salton Sea. Gulls do not attain their adult plumage until after two, three, or four years. The winter prior to full maturity the immature gulls are very much like adults, with some dark marks remaining in the tail, wings tips, and secondaries.

Species	Size	Back color	Leg color	Bill size & color	Head	Wing field marks in flight	Tail & Rump	Eye color	Other notes
Glaucous Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 26-32”	Uniform tan color	Flesh-pink	Flesh-colored with black tip	Tan with streaking	Wings tan with frosty primaries	Tan	Dark brown	Bill color + big tan gull is distinctive
Glaucous Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large 26-32”	Light buff-white color	Flesh-pink	Flesh-colored with black tip	Light buff-white color	Wings buff-white color with frosty primaries	Light buff-white color	Dark brown	Bill color + big whitish gull is distinctive

Glaucous –winged Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 24-27”	Buff brown	Flesh-pink	Black	Buff brown with streaking	Primaries same color as rest of wing – no contrast	Buff brown	Black
Glaucous –winged Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large 24-27”	Buff brown	Flesh-pink	Black	Whitish with streaking	Primaries same color as rest of wing – no contrast	Buff brown tail with whitish rump	Black

Herring Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 23-26”	Dark brown	Flesh-pink	Mostly black	Buff with streaking	Dark brown-black wingtips on brown wings	Dark brwn with light brown rump	Dark
Herring Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large \|23-26”	Pale gray	Flesh-pink	Mostly black with flesh base	Whitish with streaking	Dark brown-black wingtips on brown wings	Dark brwn with whitish rump	Pale

Thayer’s Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 23-26”	Brown-gray	Flesh-pink	Mostly black	Buff with streaking	Primaries pale below	White	Brown	Usually not as dark as herring gull, check primaries
Thayer’s Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large 23-26”	Gray	Flesh-pink	Mostly black with flesh base	Whitish with streaking	Primaries pale below	White	Brown	Usually not as dark as herring gull, check primaries

Western Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 24-27”	Dark brown – one of darkest	Flesh-pink	Black	Brown, heavy streaking	Dark brown	Dark brown with paler rump	Dark	Dark back contrasts with paler rump
Western Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large 24-27”	Brown & black	Pinkish	Mostly dark	Mostly White with streaking	Dark primaries and wing tips	Dark	Yellow	Like 1^st winter Yel.-ftd, but yellow eye
Yellow-footed Gull (3-yr) 1^st Winter	Large 27”	Brown & black	Pinkish	Mostly dark	Mostly White with streaking	Dark primaries and wing tips	Dark	Dark	Like 2^nd winter Western, but dark eye
Yellow-footed Gull (3-yr) 2^nd Winter	Large 27”	Charcoal-gray	Yellow	Yellow with dark tip	Mostly White with streaking	Outer primaries black with white spots	Black	Yellow

California Gull (4-yr) 1^st Winter	Mid-Sized 20-23”	Dark brown	Gray-flesh	Flesh with black tip	Brown with streaking	Blackish primaries on brown wing	Mostly dark	Dark brown
California Gull (4-yr) 2^nd Winter	Mid-Sized 20-23”	Gray brown	Gray-flesh	Flesh with black tip	Lighter brown with streaking	Blackish primaries on brown & gray wing	Mostly dark	Dark brown

Heerman’s Gull (3-yr) 1^st/2^nd Winters	Mid-Sized 18-21”	Sooty brown	Dark gray	Flesh colored with black tip	Sooty brown	Sooty brown	Sooty brown	Dark	Buoyant flight
Ring-billed Gull (3-yr) 1^st Winter	Small 19”	Light-gray	Flesh	Flesh-colored with black tip	White with brown streaking	Dark wings with black-brown primaries	Medium-sized dark terminal band	Light yellow
Mew Gull (3-yr) 1^st & 2^nd Winters	Small 16-18”	Gray	Flesh legs	Small, Flesh-colored with black tip	White with brown streaking	Black primaries on brown (1^st winter) or grayish (2^nd winter) wings	Brown (1^st winter) or whitish with thin black sub-terminal band	Dark brown	Look for small, thin bill
Laughing Gull (3-yr) 1^st Winter	Small 16-17”	Dark gray	Dark red-black	Red-black	Whitish head with gray nape	Dark brown wings	White rump on dark tail	Black with broken white eye ring
Bonaparte’s Gull (2-yr)	Small 13”	Gray, brown, & black	Pale reddish	Black	White with cheek spot	Large wedge of white at wing tips	White with narrow black tail band	Black
Little Gull (2-yr)	Small 11”	Gray & black	Reddish	Black	White with dusky cap	Black “M” pattern on upper side of wings, rounded wing tips	White with narrow black tail band	Black