State Bird Of Utah

State Bird Of Utah

California Gull Is The Official State Bird Of Utah. The California Gull Became Utah’s official state bird on February 14, 1955. Utah State Bird Bill 51 was signed into law by Gov. J Bracken Lee (Utah Code 63-13-9) and the bill was introduced by Richard C. Howe a member of the House of Representatives. The California gull is considered the State Bird Of Utah because California Gull saved the people of the State by eating up hordes of crickets that were destroying the crops in 1848.

The Latin name of California Gull is Laruscalifornicus, and it is a part of the Laridae family of birds. California gulls are majestic and beautiful birds. Appearance-wise, it is similar to the herring gull, but unlike the herring gull, the California gull’s head is a bit more rounded; it also has yellow legs, a smaller yellow bill with a black ring, and brown eyes. As for the color of the plumage, it is predominantly white, with grey feathers on their wings and on the back. They are 18-22 inches in length (about 46-55 cm), with the wingspan of 48-54 inches (122-137 cm), which looks really impressive! Their body mass varies, going from 430-1.045g. The Utah State Bird California gull is a migratory bird, which means that when winter comes, they all move towards the Pacific coast, where the climate is warmer. Wintertime is the only part of the year when people can see these beautiful birds in the country they gained their names from. Their nesting and breeding places are in the marshy areas.

During the breeding period, Utah State Bird find in western North America, Canadian Northwestern Territories, eastern California, and Colorado. They nest in great colonies, often mixing with other types of birds. The State Bird Of Utah California gulls is expert foragers, able to pick up objects in-flight just as easily as they do while walking or swimming. They can be found scavenging at garbage dumps close to the docks, but when it comes to food, they favor things they catch, such as insects, smaller fish, and eggs.

 

Identification Of The “California Gull”

 

Official Utah State Bird Name: California Seagull

American Ornithologists’ Union Common Name: California Gull

Family: Laridae; Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Scientific Name: Larus californicus

Length: Male: 21″ (53 cm)

Wingspan: 54″ (137 cm)

Habitat: Seacoasts, lakes, farms, urban centers

Eggs: Averages 2-3 brown/olive/gray/olive-buff eggs, marked with dark brown/gray. 2.7″ (68 mm).

Incubation period: 23-27 days

Fledge: 45 days after hatching

Longevity Record: 24 Years and 11 months (according to USGS Bird Banding Lab)

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