The Status and Occurrence of Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) in British Columbia. By Rick Toochin and Don Cecile. Published: June 3, 2023.

The Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) is a medium sized gull that is found as a year-round resident in northeast Asia and is found breeding on sandy or rocky seashores, sea cliffs, and rocky islets from Northern Sakhalin Island, Kuril Islands, southern coastal regions of the Russian Far East,  Moneron Island, Popov Island, Peter the Great Bay, coastal and offshore islands of Japan, Korea and areas of eastern China from Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian (Brazil 2009, Zhongyong et al. 2011, Olsen and Larsson 2004).  Post-breeding dispersal has birds heading to areas rich in food occurrence (Burger et al. 2020). First-year birds from Peter the Great Bay move to the maritime coast and the Tatar Straits (Burger et al. 2020). Birds from northwestern Honshu fly to the Pacific coast of Honshu, Hokkaido, and the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, while those from the Yellow Sea spread north and south along its coastline (Burger et al. 2020). The main wintering areas are in the Sea of Japan and the northern part of the East China Sea, but particularly in the Korea Strait (Brazil 2009, Olsen and Larsson 2004, Howell and Dunn 2007, Burger et al. 2020). Smaller numbers winter further south off the Chinese coast, in Taiwan and on the Japanese Pacific coast (Brazil 2009, Olsen and Larsson 2004, Howell and Dunn 2007, Burger et al. 2020). Throughout the year prefers habitats such as coasts, bays and estuaries, breeds on sandy or rocky seashores, sea cliffs, and rocky islets (Olsen and Larsson 2004, Howell and Dunn 2007, Burger et al. 2020). The Black-tailed Gull is found more widespread throughout its range in the winter months occurring further south in China in the East China Sea with a few birds occurring south to the northern Philippines in the Babuyan Channel (Redman 1993, Nakagun et al. 2016). Vagrants have also reached even further south in Southeast Asia in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and into Australia (Robertson 1994, Pizzey and Knight 2007, e-bird database 2021).

On the East Coast of North America, the Black-tailed Gull is an accidental to casual vagrant migrant with well documented photographed records that have been found in the mid-western United States, around the Great Lakes region, and from the Atlantic Coast to the Gulf Coast region (Howell et al. 2014). In eastern Canada, records include a photographed adult in the Northwest Territories at the Inuvik Landfill on June 4, 2002 (Mactavish 2002), a bird photographed at Churchill, Manitoba on June 28, 2006 (e-bird database 2021), an adult in winter plumage  photographed in southern Ontario along the lakeshore from Port Stanley to Port Rowan from November – December 2009 (e-bird database 2021), a second cycle bird photographed at Point de l’Iset, Quebec on October 21, 2019 (e-bird database 2021), at least 4 photographed records from Nova Scotia, at least 4 photographed records from Newfoundland and Labrador (e-bird database 2021). 

Along the east coast of the United States where there are well documented photographed records that extend from Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York State, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and south to Florida; with a well photographed record from Bermuda (e-bird database 2021). There are also photographed records from inland regions of the Unites States including Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New Mexico, and Texas (e-bird database 2021). 

Along the west coast of North America, the Black-tailed Gull is a casual migrant vagrant in Alaska with records occurring from the Central to Western Aleutian Islands, Gambell, Kodiak, Homer, Anchorage; and in Southeastern Alaska in Juneau, Petersburg, and Ketchikan mostly from April - September (West 2008, Gibson and Withrow 2015, Burger et al. 2020). In Washington State there are 8 accepted records for the Black-tailed Gull by the Washington Bird Records Committee with records spanning from March into June and August through October (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2020). In California, the Black-tailed Gull is an accidental vagrant with 8 accepted records by the California Bird Records Committee with the occurrence of birds spanning from October to May (Hamilton et al. 2007, Tietz and McCaskie 2020). In British Columbia, this species accidental with less than 10 records for the province (Toochin et al. 2018). 

 

South of the United States, there is a single well photographed record from El Golfo de Santa Clara near the mouth of the Colorado River in extreme northwestern Sonora in the Gulf of California, Mexico on June 7, 1997 (Garrett and Molina 1998).

The identification of the Black-tailed Gull is covered in most standard North American field guides. This species is a medium-sized, long narrow-winged gull measuring 44-48 cm in length, with a wingspan of 126-128 cm, and weighs 436-640 grams (Brazil 2009, Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The Black-tailed Gull is a distinctive 4-year cycle gull species that is slightly larger than a Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) and a little smaller than the smaller dark-backed subspecies of California Gull (Larus californicus californicus) with a relatively short tail that is black or shows a broad black tail-bar in all plumages (Sibley 2000, Olsen and Larsson 2004, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The head appears relatively flat-crowned, further accentuating the long thin bill (Brazil 2009).

 

The following descriptions given of Black-tailed Gull ages is taken from Olsen and Larsson (2004), Howell et al. (2014), and Burger et al. (2021).

 

Juvenile plumage is held from August to September. Birds at this age are overall dark brown, with pale feather edging to the dark centered feathers on the mantle, whitish rump and belly, sooty-brown primaries, and a blackish tail; the bill is pinkish with a black tip; white eyelids are conspicuous; legs pinkish. 

 

Birds in their first cycle hold this plumage from September to March and on some birds into May.  Birds at this age are dark overall, develops a uniform dark-brown saddle with a whitish face and white eye-arcs. The bill is pink with a black tip. Legs pinkish. The black tail contrast with mostly white uppertail coverts. The grey saddle and a grey median covert bar develop on birds by their first summer and into their second winter. This plumage is held from September to March. The black tail strongly contrasts with the white rump and the uppertail coverts remain prominent. 

 

Second cycle birds hold this plumage from September to March with some birds holding this plumage into April. Birds at this age develop adult-like appearance with mantle developing dark slate-gray color, but with traces of immaturity such as brown-tinged tertials, with a yellowish color-based bill with a black bill tip. The legs become yellow-green, and the eyes often are pale.

 

Third cycle birds hold this plumage from September to May. Birds at this age resemble adults but flight feathers brown-tinged with narrow white primary tips, underparts have a slight brownish ting, primaries coverts have dark drop markings, legs are duller and green, with more extensive black in the tail.

 

Adults hold breeding plumage from February and March to September.  Adults during this period have a white head and underparts, the mantle is slaty-gray (making the mantle color of a Black-tailed Gull look like that of a Lesser Black-backed Gull of the race L. f. graellsii in appearance); the upperwing is also slaty-gray. The primaries are black showing only small white tips and there is narrow but conspicuous white tertial crescent. The secondaries have a thin white edge. The tail is white with a broad, even, black subterminal band. The bill is thin, long, and yellow, with a red spot at the tip and black subterminal ring, the latter with or without a red spot behind on the lower mandible. The legs are yellow. The white head shows dark mottling in winter, particularly as a hindneck bar. 

 

For an extensive look at the differences between Black-tailed Gull and Ring-billed Gull and California Gull it is recommended reading Olsen and Larsson (2004), Howell and Dunn (2007), and Howell et al. (2014). 

The Black-tailed Gull is an accidental migrant vagrant species in British Columbia with 9 records for the province. The first record for British Columbia was an adult in winter plumage found by Peter Hamel between Skonun Point and the Masset Airport, on Haida Gwaii, on November 22, 1991 (Holder 1992b, Siddle 1992a, Toochin et al. 2018). This bird was found sitting on a beach and turned up during a huge storm and was seen in the company of Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) and a Western Gull (Larus occidentalis). It was noted at the time of the original observation that the bird was much smaller than the larger gulls it was loafing with and appeared to be in between the of a Ring-billed Gull and California Gull (P. Hamel Pers. Obs.). The second record for British Columbia was a 3rd – 4th cycle bird found by Rick Toochin, Jamie Fenneman, and Mitch Meredith in Ucluelet Harbour on January 5, 2002 (Cecile 2002b, Toochin et al. 2018). The bird was first spotted sleeping on a rock in the middle of the inlet in the company of approximately 40-50 other gulls (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). This group of gulls consisted of various aged Glaucous-winged Gull, Iceland (formerly Thayer’s) Gull (Larus glaucoides thayeri) California Gull and Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). In the Harbour itself was single first cycle Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), varying ages and Western Gulls (as well various hybrid Western “type” Gulls and various ages of Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). There were loads of gulls in the harbour due to a large fishing vessel dumping out fish guts into the area (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.) Unfortunately, photographs were not able to be taken of the bird since nobody had a camera, but detailed field notes were written at the time of the observation (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). It later flew in and landed point blank in front of the observers before taking flight slowly rising in the wind above the observers and drifting to the south, affording excellent top and bottom views of the bird (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). The third record for the province and the first photographed record was of an adult in winter plumage found by Jukka Jantunen and Jillian Johnstone in the Comox – Courtenay Harbour Area on November 18, 2008 (Toochin et al. 2018). This bird moved around that part of Vancouver Island a great deal over the next few weeks. It was also relocated by Christopher Stevens and photographed by several people in the Parksville area from November 19-20, 2008 (Toochin et al. 2018). Then it was relocated again by Jukka Jantunen and seen and photographed by other observers in the same Comox – Courtenay Harbour Area as the original observation from November 22-27, 2008 (Toochin et al. 2018). This bird was last observed in the same general area of Courtenay – Comox by Rhys Harrison, and other observers on December 1, 2008 (Toochin et al. 2018). The fourth record for the province was an adult winter plumaged bird found by Mike McGrenere at Clover Point, in Victoria, on November 14, 2009 (Charlesworth 2010a). The fifth record for British Columbia was of an adult in winter plumage found by Jarmo Jalava in Kye Bay, Comox on January 22, 2017 (Toochin et al. 2018). The sixth record for British Columbia was of an adult in breeding plumage found and photographed by Jeremy Gatten along the Gingolx (Kincolith) waterfront, of the Nisga'a Nation on May 4, 2017 (Toochin et al. 2018) Photographs can be viewed at this link https://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com/2017/05/rba-black-tailed-gull-in-gingolx-may-4th.html. The seventh record for the province was a 3rd – 4th year cycle bird that was found and photographed by Ken Wright at Major Islet, off the Copeland Islands Marine Park, north of Powell River on September 13, 2018 (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). The bird was originally reported as a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) to e-bird but was spotted by the authors almost immediately, and after letting the observer know it was in fact a Black-tailed Gull, the bird was quickly corrected online (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). As a result, many lucky observers were able to see and photograph the bird. It was also reported and photographed on the waterfront at Lund and was last reported in the area on October 3, 2018 (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). The eighth record for British Columbia was adult transition from winter to breeding plumage found by Rick Toochin and other observers in a field along Maher Road, in Sumas Prairie on February 14, 2020 (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). This bird was in the company of Ring-billed Gulls, Short-billed Gulls, and California Gulls and poor distant photographs were taken of the bird (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). The ninth record was of an adult bird in breeding plumage that was found by Logan Lalonde flying over Porcupine Park, in Kelowna on April 30, 2020 (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). Though this bird was not photographed, detailed drawings and a detailed description were taken at the time of the observation (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). The tenth provincial record was an adult in breeding plumage that was found and photographed by Les Peterson and many other observers at Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood from  May 2-7, 2023 (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). Likely the same individual was reported from a cruise ship by Justin Wagner off East Sooke Regional Park on June 18, 2023  (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.).

Since the late 1990’s, there has been a quantum leap in resources and knowledge about gull identification. It is likely no coincidence that the number of rare gull sightings, such as the Black-tailed Gull and Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus), have increased across much of North America since that time (Howell et al. 2014). With this increase in gull identification knowledge, so has enthusiasm by keen observers to find these unusual gull species. That factor along with the effects of human activities such as landfills, offshore fishing, and many other changes in the environment have likely helped push this species out of its rather restricted range in Asia and towards North America as a vagrant species.  Weather patterns also likely play a factor pushing birds into North America via Alaska (Howell et al. 2014). It is interesting to note the large number of East Coast records for Black-tailed Gull, indicating that many birds likely crossed over a land route in northern Canada (Howell et al. 2014). It should also be noted that this species has not yet been found in Europe (e-bird database 2021) making the likelihood that the origin of these eastern records was in fact a pathway through Alaska. It is very likely as more keen observers check both migrant and winter flocks of gulls, there will be more Black-tailed Gulls reported in British Columbia. This species does prefer coastal habitats but clearly has occurred at inland areas in the southwestern and eastern United States, meaning it could potentially turn up in any region of the province. 

1.(1) adult winter plumage November 22, 1991: Peter Hamel (photo) between Skonun Pt and Masset Airport, Haida Gwaii (Holder 1992b, Siddle 1992a, Toochin et al. 2018)

2.(1) 3rd cycle January 5, 2002: Rick Toochin, Jamie Fenneman, Mitch Meredith:  Ucluelet Harbour (Cecile 2002b, Toochin et al. 2018)

3.(1) adult winter plumage November 18, 2008: Jukka Jantunen, Jillian Johnstone (photo) Comox – Courtenay Harbour Area (Toochin et al. 2018)

   (1) adult winter plumage November 19-20, 2008: Christopher Stevens, mobs (photo) Parksville area (same bird as above?) (Toochin et al. 2018) 

   (1) adult winter plumage November 22-27, 2008: Jukka Jantunen, mobs (photo) Comox - Courtenay (same bird as Comox?) (Toochin et al. 2018)

   (1) adult winter plumage December 1, 2008: Rhys Harrison, mobs: Comox - Courtenay (same bird as Comox?)(Toochin et al. 2018)   

4.(1) adult winter plumage November 14, 2009: Mike McGrenere: Clover Point, Victoria (Charlesworth 2010a)

5.(1) adult winter plumage January 22, 2017: Jarmo Jalava: Kye Bay, Comox (Toochin et al. 2018)

6.(1) adult breeding plumage May 4, 2017: Jeremy Gatten (photo) Gingolx (Kincolith) waterfront, Nisga'a Nation (Toochin et al. 2018)

7.(1) 3rd – 4th cycle September 13-October 3, 2018: Ken Wright, mobs (photo) Major Islet, off Copeland Islands Marine Park, north of Powell River and on the waterfront of Lund (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

8.(1) adult transition from winter to breeding plumage February 14, 2020: Rick and Keelan Toochin (distant poor photos) Maher Rd., Sumas Prairie (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

9.(1) adult breeding plumage April 30, 2020: Logan Lalonde: Porcupine Park, Kelowna (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

10.(1) adult breeding plumage May 2-7, 2023: Les Peterson, mobs (photo) Esquimalt Lagoon, Colwood (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

     (1) adult breeding plumage June 18, 2023: Justin Wagner: off East Sooke Regional Park (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

 

We wish to thank Peter Hamel for allowing us access to his original field notes of the Black-tailed Gull observed at Skonun Point, outside Masset, on Haida Gwaii. We want to thank Al Russell for sharing his photographs of the Black-tailed Gull at Powell River. All photos are used with permission of the photographer and are fully protected by copyright law. Photographs are not to be reproduced, published, or retransmitted on any website without the authorization of the photographer.

 

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