American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassAves (Aus)
OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
SpeciesLarus smithsonianus (American Herring Gull)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Jasper National Park

2 Verified records at Jasper National Park

☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The American herring gull (Larus smithsonianus or Larus argentatus smithsonianus), also known as the Arctic herring gull or Smithsonian gull, is a large gull that breeds in North America, where it is treated by the American Ornithological Society as distinct from the European herring gull (Larus argentatus). Adults are white with gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots, and pink legs. Immature birds are gray-brown and are darker and more uniform than European herring gulls, with a darker tail. As is common with other gulls, they are colloquially referred to simply as seagulls. It occurs in a variety of habitats including coasts, lakes, rivers, parking lots and garbage dumps. Its broad diet includes invertebrates, fish, and many other items. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Jasper National Park

Larus delawarensis

<5% · Rare

Larus californicus

<5% · Rare

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Chlidonias niger

Hydroprogne caspia

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Sterna hirundo

Actitis macularius

Gallinago delicata

Tringa solitaria

Charadrius vociferus

Tringa melanoleuca

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of American Herring Gull at Jasper National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

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

☀️Diurnal

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	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	70–80%
2	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	60–70%
3	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	50–60%
4	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	50–60%
5	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	50–60%
6	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	20–30%
7	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	20–30%
8	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	20–30%
9	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	10–20%
10	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10–20%
11	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	10–20%
12	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10–20%
13	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	10–20%
14	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	10–20%
15	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10–20%
16	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	5–10%
17	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	5–10%
18	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	5–10%
19	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
20	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
21	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
22	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
23	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
24	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
25	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
26	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
27	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
28	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
29	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
30	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
31	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
32	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
33	Gates of the Arctic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
34	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
35	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
36	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
37	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
38	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
39	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
40	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
41	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
42	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
43	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
44	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
45	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
46	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
47	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data

← Back to Jasper National Park

American Herring Gull

Closest Relatives at Jasper National Park

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Black Tern

Caspian Tern

Franklin's Gull

Common Tern

Spotted Sandpiper

Wilson's Snipe

Solitary Sandpiper

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found