▁the ▁fe athers . ▁The ▁western ▁g ull ▁typically ▁lives ▁about ▁ 1 5 ▁years , ▁but ▁can ▁live ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 5 ▁years . ▁The ▁largest ▁western ▁g ull ▁col ony ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁Far all on ▁Islands , ▁located ▁about ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁California ; ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁g ull s ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay ▁area . ▁Western ▁g ull s ▁also ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Coast . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁ ▁The ▁western ▁g ull ▁is ▁a ▁year - round ▁resident ▁in ▁California , ▁Oregon , ▁B aja ▁California , ▁and ▁southern ▁Washington . ▁It ▁is ▁mig rat ory , ▁moving ▁to ▁northern ▁Washington , ▁British ▁Columbia , ▁and ▁B aja ▁California ▁Sur ▁to ▁spend ▁the ▁non bre eding ▁season . ▁ ▁Be havior ▁ ▁The ▁western ▁g ull ▁rarely ▁vent ures ▁more ▁than ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 0 ▁miles ▁in land , ▁almost ▁never ▁very ▁far ▁from ▁the ▁ocean ; ▁it ▁is ▁almost ▁an ▁exclus ively ▁marine ▁g ull . ▁It ▁n ests ▁on ▁off sh ore ▁islands ▁and ▁rocks ▁along ▁the ▁coast , ▁and ▁on ▁islands ▁inside ▁est u aries . ▁A ▁col ony ▁also ▁exists ▁on ▁An ac apa ▁Island , ▁and ▁Al cat raz ▁Island ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay . ▁In ▁the ▁colon ies , ▁long ▁term ▁pairs ▁ag gress ively ▁defend ▁territ ories ▁whose ▁borders ▁may ▁shift ▁slightly ▁from ▁year ▁to ▁year , ▁but ▁are ▁maintained ▁for ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁male