California Gull
California GullCalifornia GullCalifornia GullCalifornia Gull

California Gull

Larus californicus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Joshua Tree National Park
62 Verified records at Joshua Tree National Park
December 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 →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a California Gull sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 62 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

<5% · Rare
Western Gull
LC

Western Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus occidentalis

Insufficient data
Heermann's Gull
NT

Heermann's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus heermanni

Insufficient data
American Herring Gull
LC

American Herring Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus smithsonianus

Insufficient data
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

<5% · Rare
Forster's Tern
LC

Forster's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna forsteri

<5% · Rare
Black Tern
LC

Black Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias niger

Insufficient data
Franklin's Gull
LC

Franklin's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Insufficient data
Killdeer
NT

Killdeer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius vociferus

<5% · Rare
Baird's Sandpiper
LC

Baird's Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris bairdii

Insufficient data
Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

<5% · Rare
Black-necked Stilt
Endemic

Black-necked Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus mexicanus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Joshua Tree National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a California Gull sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 62 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see California Gull in Joshua Tree National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for California Gull in Joshua Tree National Park in our monthly data.

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