Seagulls in Alaska

Seagulls in Alaska? Yep, you heard right. There are three main seagulls found in the state. The three types are: the glaucous-winged gull (larus glaucescens), glaucous gull (larus hyperboreus), and herring gull (larus argentatus). Sometimes they interbreed and create hybrids of the main three. 

The most common seagull found in the state is the glaucous-winged gull. This gull lives about 10 years and starts breeding around age 4. Adults grow to about 23-26 inches in length. They can survive and thrive in a variety of environments. 

They appear in vast numbers in the summer months in urban areas, as they are efficient garbage collectors. Their numbers shrink in the winter as they are partially migratory. Some of their number head for Canada, Washington, Oregon and California. 

These gulls can be aggressive to other birds and sometimes even to their own kind. Next time you see a seagull in Alaska, see if you can spot one of these three breeds.

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