This small, gentle looking gull is one of the most abundant wintering gulls along the Pacific coast. It is often found foraging in mixed flocks with Ring-billed, and to a lesser extent, California gulls. Its small plover-like head and bill, and the habit of bobbing its head while walking, make it fairly easy to identify.

It is most often found actively foraging with similar-sized gulls on coastal farm fields and short grass meadows and lawn when such habitat is moist.

This is an abundant migrant and winter visitor along the coast, the lower Columbia River and in the Willamette Valley. It can also be seen, occasionally, in the summer.

Hear the call of the Mew gull

Photo by Mick Thompson, Flickr