European Herring Gull

Overview

The European herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large seabird that belongs to the family Laridae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although it is currently listed on the United Kingdom's red list of birds of conservation concern.

Identification

• Adult birds in breeding plumage feature a light grey back and upper wings, white head and underparts, and black wingtips with white spots known as 'mirrors'.
• The bill is yellow with a red spot, accompanied by a ring of bare yellow skin around the pale eye.
• Legs are typically pink at all ages, though they can appear yellowish in some populations.
• Non-breeding adults exhibit brown streaks on their heads and necks, while juveniles are mainly brown with darker streaks and a dark bill.

Habitat

This species breeds throughout the northern and western coasts of Europe, including Iceland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France. While some populations migrate to colder areas in winter, many are permanent residents in regions such as the North Sea shores. They are also increasingly found in urban environments across Britain, where street lighting and waste provide food and nesting opportunities.

Diet

As opportunistic omnivores, they scavenge from garbage dumps and landfill sites, consume carrion, and steal eggs or young from other birds. They also forage by dropping shelled prey from a height to break the shells and by drumming their feet on the ground to drive earthworms to the surface. Despite their name, they have no special preference for herring, and their diet includes significant amounts of crustaceans and echinoderms.

Did you know?

European herring gulls can use pieces of bread as bait to catch goldfish. They also possess the ability to see ultraviolet light and can rinse food items in water to clean them or render them more palatable before swallowing.