A Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (12/21/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Dave Webb MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Calvert Co., Maryland (9/4/2022). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 639512 - Psn: 45)

View Record Details Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/28/2016). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (6/18/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Keim MBP List

An adult Great Black-backed Gull scavenges a dead Bufflehead on Assateague Island, Maryland (1/17/2009).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/6/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/3/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Matthew Beziat MBP List

An immature Great Black-backed Gull with Atlantic Blue Crab in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/22/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Mike Burchett MBP List

An immature Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/20/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Johnson MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Calvert Co., Maryland (11/20/2022). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 687500 - Psn: 78)

View Record Details Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (4/7/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Austin Jennings MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/24/2021).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/27/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull with plastic water bottle on Assateague Island in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/17/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Scott Housten MBP List

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (12/17/2006).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/7/2018). First record for Allegany Co., presumably same bird as reported by Aaron Graham.

View Record Details Photo by J.B. Churchill MBP List

Great Black-backed Gulls in Calvert Co., Maryland (8/2/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/25/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Ashley Bradford MBP List

Great Black-backed Gulls in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/27/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Emily Carter Mitchell MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull along the Potomac River in Washington Co., Maryland (3/25/2006). Very rare in western Maryland.

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Adult and juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/20/2024). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1048568 - Psn: 125)

Adult and juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/20/2024). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Calvert Co., Maryland (11/18/2021). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 487600 - Psn: 166)

View Record Details Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/24/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/27/2022). (c) arapp5, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1115082 - Psn: 188)

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/27/2022). (c) arapp5, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by arapp5 via iNaturalist MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/10/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Joe Hanfman MBP List

Immature Great Black-backed Gull with food in Worcester Co., Maryland (11/13/2022). (c) jugbayjs, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 709330 - Psn: 265)

Immature Great Black-backed Gull with food in Worcester Co., Maryland (11/13/2022). (c) jugbayjs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by jugbayjs via iNaturalist MBP List

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (1/13/2024). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 950028 - Psn: 355)

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (1/13/2024). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

A Great Black-backed Gull nest on Poplar Island, Talbot County, Maryland (6/4/2000).

Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Map Snapshot

671 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

The world's largest gull is common along the Atlantic Coast and Chesapeake Bay. Becomes uncommon and then rare inland as one moves west, especially in far western Maryland. Most western Maryland records occur along the Potomac River.

Where To Find

Ocean City Inlet, Sandy Point State Park, Point Lookout State Park

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

View at iNaturalist Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts

View full eBird Range Map

Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (12/21/2019). View Record Details Media by Dave Webb.

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/28/2016). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (6/18/2016). View Record Details Media by Bill Keim.

An adult Great Black-backed Gull scavenges a dead Bufflehead on Assateague Island, Maryland (1/17/2009). Media by Bill Hubick.

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/6/2017). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/3/2016). View Record Details Media by Matthew Beziat.

An immature Great Black-backed Gull with Atlantic Blue Crab in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/22/2016). View Record Details Media by Mike Burchett.

An immature Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/20/2015). View Record Details Media by Mark Johnson.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (4/7/2018). View Record Details Media by Austin Jennings.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/24/2021). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/27/2014). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

A Great Black-backed Gull with plastic water bottle on Assateague Island in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/17/2013). View Record Details Media by Scott Housten.

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (12/17/2006). Media by Bill Hubick.

A first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/7/2018). First record for Allegany Co., presumably same bird as reported by Aaron Graham. View Record Details Media by J.B. Churchill.

Great Black-backed Gulls in Calvert Co., Maryland (8/2/2016). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/25/2017). View Record Details Media by Ashley Bradford.

Great Black-backed Gulls in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/27/2017). View Record Details Media by Emily Carter Mitchell.

A Great Black-backed Gull along the Potomac River in Washington Co., Maryland (3/25/2006). Very rare in western Maryland. View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

Adult and juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/20/2024). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist.

A Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/24/2018). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/27/2022). (c) arapp5, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by arapp5 via iNaturalist.

Great Black-backed Gull in Allegany Co., Maryland (1/10/2018). View Record Details Media by Joe Hanfman.

Immature Great Black-backed Gull with food in Worcester Co., Maryland (11/13/2022). (c) jugbayjs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by jugbayjs via iNaturalist.

Great Black-backed Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (1/13/2024). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

A Great Black-backed Gull nest on Poplar Island, Talbot County, Maryland (6/4/2000). Media by Jim Stasz.