Information and observations about species of gulls
that live on Mount Desert Island or on the water surrounding the island
(Family Laridae, Order Charadriiformes, Class Aves, Phylum Chordata, Kingdom Animalia)

(updated 10 December 2017)


Order Charadriiformes, Family Laridae - gulls

Mount Desert Island is home to 15 species in 5 genera. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.

   Laridae (5 genera, 15 species)
      Larus atricilla - laughing gull
      Larus pipixcan - Franklin’s gull
      Larus ridibundus - black-headed gull
      Larus philadelphia - Bonaparte’s gull
      Larus delawarensis - ring-billed gull
      Larus argentatus - herring gull
      Larus glaucoides - Iceland gull
      Larus hyperboreus - glaucous gull
      Larus marinus - great black-backed gull
      Rissa tridactyla - black-legged kittiwake
      Thalasseus maximus - royal tern
      Sterna dougallii - roseate tern
      Sterna hirundo - common tern
      Sterna paradisaea - arctic tern
      Chlidonias niger - black tern





Laridae

Larus atricilla (laughing gull)

(click on image to enlarge)


Larus argentatus (herring gull)
   
(click on an image to enlarge)


Larus marinus (great black-backed gull)

(click on image to enlarge)