Critters of the Week
Critters of the Week
A wild critter we spotted in the RVA area and a critter up for adoption by Richmond SPCA.
This may look like a generic brownish bird but it is fact a young (1st year) Heermann’s Gull. Heermann is not an east coast bird he should be hanging out along a very narrow band of the west coast. This guy has been hanging in Hopewell for a while now.
Fully mature Heermann’s look dramatically different.
Photo Courtesy of Cornell Labs
Where Spotted: Hopewell Marina
Common Name: Heermann’s Gull
Scientific Name: Larus heermanni
Length: 18.1-20.9 in (46-53 cm)
Weight: 13.1-22.7 oz (371-643 g)
Wingspan: 40.9-45.3 in (104-115 cm)
Quick Facts Courtesy of Cornell Labs
- Heermann’s Gulls have an unusual “backwards” migration: they breed mostly south of the United States and then move north for the nonbreeding season. After breeding is over in July, the gulls quickly come north all the way to southern Canada. They head back southward by December, and most breeders are at the breeding islands by March.
- Perhaps as a result of increasing populations in Mexico, some Heermann’s Gulls now breed in California, with the first successful nests at Seaside in central California, where they have nested on artificial islands and rooftops since 1999.
- The name of Heermann’s Gull refers to Adolphus Lewis Heermann, an American doctor and naturalist who traveled through western North America in the 1850s, as surgeon for the Pacific Railroad Survey expedition.
- The Heermann’s Gull, like many other gulls, frequently steals food from other birds and often targets Brown Pelicans. An adult Heermann’s Gull is most likely to try to steal food from an adult pelican, and an immature gull is more likely to steal from an immature pelican. In the field of animal behavior, the word for stealing is “kleptoparasitism.”
- The oldest recorded Heermann’s Gull was a female, and at least 24 years old when she was caught and released in Oregon in 2009. She had been banded in Mexico in 1985.
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Mink at Richmond SPCA
Are you here to meet a luxurious young lady with a smile that is sure to melt your heart? Well, look no further! Mink is a sweet little lady who is excited to meet new people, and make friends. She is patiently awaiting your arrival at the Richmond SPCA, so come and meet her today!
Age: 5 years, 4 months
Gender: Spayed Female
Color: Brown / White
Size: M (dog size guide)
ID: 42044685
Learn more about their adoption process.
