Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Pacific Gull, Dover, Tasmania, Australia, January 2006 - click for larger image Australia
January / February 2006

The Pacific Gull is endemic to south and south-west Australia where it is rarely found far from the coast. It feeds on fish, shellfish, crabs, carrion, birds and bird eggs.

Pacific Gull, St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image It has a massive bill - the largest of any gull - which is yellow with a red tip to both upper and lower mandibles. Legs are yellow and the eyes are white. In flight there are no "windows" on the primaries and the wings have a white trailing edge. The tail is white with a narrow black sub-terminal band.

The juvenile, seen here in photo 6, has a dark eye and a pinkish bill with dark tip. The forehead, lores and china are white while the legs are brownish.

Pacific Gull, St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image There are two sub-species. Photos 4 and 5 show the sub-species L. p. georgii found from Western Australia to South Australia. It varies very little from the nominate sub-species seen in the other photos.
Pacific Gull, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Pacific Gull, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Immature Pacific Gull, Wilson's Promontory, Victoria, Australia, April 2006 - click for larger image
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