North American field guide
Franklin's Gull
Larus pipixcan
Identification
Field notes
36-38 cm (14-15") Common gull of prairies, inland marshes, lakes, follows plows; rare winter migrant along coast. Black head with broken white eye-ring; red bill; white underparts, in spring tinged with pink; dark gray mantle separated from black wing tips by white band. The similar but larger Laughing Gull has no such white wing band.
Winter adult similar, but head white with partial black hood behind eye, bill black.
Song: shrill laughing cries.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Franklin's Gulls (Laridae: Larus pipixcan) Flocking
Credit: Carl BarrentineWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 2 rules
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Franklin's Gull
2 rulesRule 1 13 criteria · confidence 4
- What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
- Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Gull-like, or a Seabird
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall
Rule 2 12 criteria · confidence 4
- What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
- Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Gull-like, or a Seabird
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Winter