Birds of North America Illustrations

Belcher's Gull: Formerly known as the Band-tailed Gull, a medium-sized gull native to South America and accidental in California and Florida. Breeding adult has a mostly white body with black back, distinctive black tail band, and yellow legs and feet. Wings are black with white trailing edges. Bill is yellow; lower mandible tipped with red, upper mandible tipped with black. Sexes are similar. Winter adult is similar but has a smoky brown head. 1st winter juvenile is heavily washed in brown, has dark tail band and dark feather centers on upperwings and back; legs and feet are tinted pink; bill is black tipped with dark red. 2nd winter juvenile resembles 1st winter but has more uniformly brown wing feathers, darker back, and pale yellow legs and feet.