We know what a seagull is, right? Would you guess how many different types of gulls there are?? This is Mr. Resting Seagull that I spotted in New Zealand…. just posing for tourist photos, no doubt.
“There are at least 28 types of gull species seen in North America. These birds are fairly well distributed throughout the continent along the coastlines and at sea. Although gulls are referred to as seagulls on a daily basis by most people, they are simply referred to as “gulls” in the birding society.” (Quoting from this website: https://www.birds-of-north-america.net/gulls.html )
From another website, I learned that there are 50 species world wide! Gracious. Never would have guessed. Would you?
That’s why birders call them “gulls” not seagulls. Species here live by the river, not the sea. We have mostly Ring-billed Gulls and California Gulls in Eastern Washington.