They also commonly eat Platycephalus bassensis (sand flatheads) and cephalopods, both of which are sourced from their regular consumption of waste from fish which have been cleaned on wharves and beaches.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyGulls, Terns, and Skimmers
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatMuch larger than the ubiquitous silver gull , and much less common, Pacific gulls are usually seen alone or in pairs, loafing around the shoreline, steadily patrolling high above the edge of the water, or sometimes flying high on the breeze to drop a shellfish or sea urchin onto rocks.
Best timeReported across most months in Victoria, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Greg McLachlan
Range map
Range map
1318visible hotspots
98124visible records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Occurs mainly along the coast of southern Australia. Identified from Kelp Gull by larger size, thicker bill, and black tail tip.
Behavior
Juvenile is heavily marked grayish.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
Victoria
South Australia
Tasmania
New South Wales
Queensland
Australian Capital Territory