California Gull
California GullCalifornia GullCalifornia GullCalifornia Gull

California Gull

Larus californicus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Death Valley National Park
318 Verified records at Death Valley National Park
August Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The California gull (Larus californicus) is a medium-sized gull, smaller on average than the herring gull, but larger on average than the ring-billed gull (though it may overlap in size with both). Although named after California, it can be found annually across most of western North America, from the Canadian prairie provinces in the northeast and south through western Mexico. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a California Gull sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 318 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Death Valley National Park

Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

5–10% · With luck
American Herring Gull
LC

American Herring Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus smithsonianus

<5% · Rare
Iceland Gull
LC

Iceland Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucoides

Insufficient data
Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

<5% · Rare
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

<5% · Rare
Franklin's Gull
LC

Franklin's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus pipixcan

<5% · Rare
Black Tern
LC

Black Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias niger

<5% · Rare
Sabine's Gull
LC

Sabine's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xema sabini

<5% · Rare
Forster's Tern
LC

Forster's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna forsteri

Insufficient data
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

Insufficient data
Killdeer
NT

Killdeer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius vociferus

20–30% · Possible
American Avocet
LC

American Avocet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Recurvirostra americana

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
5–10
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
5–10
Jun
40–50
Jul
50–60
Aug
20–30
Sep
10–20
Oct
10–20
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
2 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
3 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
4 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
5 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
6 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
8 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
9 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
10 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
11 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
12 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
13 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
15 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
16 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
18 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
20 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
22 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
23 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
24 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
25 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a California Gull in Death Valley National Park?

About 14% of wildlife watchers report a California Gull sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 318 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see California Gull in Death Valley National Park?

August has the highest sighting rate for California Gull in Death Valley National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Death Valley National Park