Heermann's Gull is one of the most distinctive gulls in North America — adults have a white head, red bill, and dark gray body, unlike any other gull. Nearly its entire world population breeds on Isla Rasa in Baja California. It migrates northward after breeding, appearing on California beaches in summer. It steals fish from Brown Pelicans.
Best time to see a Heermann's Gull
The best time to see a Heermann's Gull is June–October, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 19,335 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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