Introduction
The ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) is a medium-sized gull that breeds in northern North America. It is migratory and winters further south in North America. The ring-billed gull gets its name from the black ring around its bill. It is one of the most numerous and familiar gulls in North America.
Breeding Range
The ring-billed gull breeds across northern North America. Its breeding range stretches from Alaska across northern Canada to Newfoundland.
Some key details about the ring-billed gull’s breeding range:
- Alaska – Breeds along the coast of mainland Alaska and the Aleutian Islands
- Canada – Breeds across northern Canadian provinces from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador
- Great Lakes – Breeds around the Great Lakes in both Canada and the United States
- Northeastern US – Breeds in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York
The ring-billed gull prefers to nest in areas close to water, such as along sea coasts, lake shores and river banks. Its nests are usually built on the ground on islands or isolated shorelines.
Alaska
In Alaska, the ring-billed gull breeds along the southern coastline of mainland Alaska from the Aleutian Islands in the west to Glacier Bay in the east. Some major breeding locations include the coastal wetlands of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the offshore islands of Kachemak Bay and the Barren Islands.
Canada
Across Canada, the ring-billed gull nests in all the northern provinces and territories from Yukon eastward to Newfoundland and Labrador. Some key breeding areas include:
- Yukon – Old Crow Flats, lakes around Whitehorse
- Northwest Territories – Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie River Delta
- Nunavut – Coastal areas along Hudson Bay and James Bay
- Manitoba – Lake Winnipeg, Churchill area along Hudson Bay
- Ontario – Great Lakes, Hudson Bay coast
- Quebec – Lakes in central Quebec, Gulf of St. Lawrence coast
- Newfoundland and Labrador – Coastal lakes and islands
The ring-billed gull forms large nesting colonies numbering in the tens of thousands of pairs in the prairie lakes of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and along the coasts of Hudson Bay, James Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Great Lakes
The ring-billed gull breeds in very large numbers around the Great Lakes in both the United States and Canada. Some key nesting sites include:
- Lake Superior – Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, Thunder Bay in Ontario
- Lake Michigan – Beaver Island, Saginaw Bay
- Lake Huron – Georgian Bay, North Channel islands
- Lake Erie – Bass Islands, Long Point
- Lake Ontario – Presqu’ile Provincial Park, Toronto Islands
Many of the major colonies are on islands, including colonies numbering over 50,000 pairs on islands in northern Lake Michigan.
Northeastern US
In the northeastern United States, the ring-billed gull breeds in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York:
- Maine – Coastal islands and wetlands
- Vermont – Inland lakes such as Lake Champlain
- New Hampshire – Lakes Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam
- New York – Niagara River, Oneida Lake, Lake Champlain
Wintering Range
The ring-billed gull migrates south in the fall to winter along the coasts of North America from southern Canada to Mexico. Some key details about its winter range:
- Winters along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
- Ranges as far south as the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico
- Also winters extensively along the Great Lakes and major river systems
- Migrates through the continental interior between its summer and winter range
West Coast
On the West Coast, the ring-billed gull winters along the coast from southern British Columbia down to Baja California in Mexico:
- British Columbia – Strait of Georgia, Vancouver area
- Washington – Puget Sound, Grays Harbor
- Oregon – Willamette Valley, Columbia River
- California – San Francisco Bay, Central Valley, Salton Sea
- Mexico – Coastal wetlands of Baja California
Gulf Coast and Mexico
The Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, as well as northern coastal Mexico, provide important wintering areas for the ring-billed gull:
- Texas – Coastal marshes along the Laguna Madre
- Louisiana – Mississippi River Delta
- Mississippi – Coastal islands and marshes
- Alabama – Mobile Bay
- Florida – Tampa Bay, Everglades region
- Mexico – Laguna Madre, coastal lagoons of Tamaulipas
Great Lakes
Though many ring-billed gulls migrate further south, sizable numbers remain through the winter on the Great Lakes:
- Lake Ontario – Niagara River, Toronto Harbour
- Lake Erie – Cleveland, Ohio lakefront
- Lake Huron – Saginaw Bay, Michigan
- Lake Michigan – Green Bay, Wisconsin
Major River Systems
Ring-billed gulls also winter along major rivers throughout the central and eastern United States:
- Mississippi River – From Minnesota south to Louisiana
- Ohio River – Kentucky and Indiana
- Missouri River – Nebraska and Missouri
- Hudson River – New York
The gulls feed in agricultural fields, landfills and sewage outflows along these rivers.
Migration
The ring-billed gull migrates through the interior of North America between its northern breeding range and southern winter range.
- Follows major river systems like the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers
- Stops to rest and feed in agricultural areas and wetlands
- Forms large flocks numbering in the tens of thousands of birds
- Migrates primarily at night
Some major staging areas used by migrating ring-billed gulls in the autumn include:
- Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
- Lakes in central Saskatchewan
- Great Salt Lake, Utah
- Lakes in eastern Colorado
Year-Round Range
Though predominantly migratory, there are a few parts of North America where ring-billed gulls can be found year-round:
- Pacific Northwest – Puget Sound and Salish Sea
- Great Lakes – Lakes Erie and Ontario
- Northeast – Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts coastal areas
- Florida – Peninsula and panhandle
- California – San Francisco Bay
In these areas, the gulls may not migrate or only make shorter-distance movements rather than full migrations. Some individuals remain on the breeding grounds year-round.
Distribution Maps
These maps help illustrate the widespread distribution of the ring-billed gull across North America over the course of the year:
Breeding Range
Winter Range
Migration Routes
As the maps show, this species ranges across most of North America over the course of the year. The ring-billed gull’s large population, adaptability and widespread distribution make it one of the most abundant gulls in North America.
Habitat
The ring-billed gull occupies a variety of habitats across its range:
Breeding
- Islands and peninsulas on lakes, rivers or coastlines
- Beaches, dunes, marshes, mudflats
- Avoids dense forests
- Prefers open areas with easy access to water
Wintering
- Coastlines, bays, estuaries
- Lakes, rivers, reservoirs
- Agricultural areas
- Urban and suburban environments
- Garbage dumps and landfills
Migration
- Lakes and rivers
- Agricultural fields
- Urban areas
- Roosts on beaches, mudflats, pond edges
The ring-billed gull is adaptable and opportunistic in exploiting habitat, food sources and nesting areas across its range. This adaptability helps explain its abundance and widespread distribution.
Population and Conservation
Global Population
The global population of the ring-billed gull is estimated to be between 2.5 to 3.5 million birds, according to BirdLife International. This species has a very large population.
Populations Trends
The ring-billed gull population grew substantially during the 19th and 20th centuries, as the species exploited human activities and habitat changes:
- Colonized the Great Lakes in early 1900s as lakes were developed
- Benefited from dams flooding new wetland habitat
- Took advantage of agricultural development and urban garbage
- Current population stabilized, no longer increasing
Conservation Status
Due to its large and widespread population, the ring-billed gull is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its populations are stable with no immediate threats.
Conclusion
In summary, the ring-billed gull has a broad breeding distribution across northern North America and winters along the coasts and major inland waterways of North America south to Mexico. It is migratory, traveling through the interior between its summer and winter ranges. Though widespread, it concentrates in areas near water, including lakes, rivers, coasts and wetlands throughout its range. Adaptable and opportunistic, the ring-billed gull has thrived alongside human development over the past century. With a large global population, it is in no danger of extinction. The ring-billed gull remains one of the most familiar and recognizable gulls across North America.