Herring Gull

A large, robust gull familiar to shorelines, harbours and landfill sites across the Northern Hemisphere. Adult Herring Gulls show a clean white head and underparts with a soft pearly-gray back and upper-wings, black wingtips dotted with neat white ‘mirrors,’ and a hefty yellow bill marked with a diagnostic red spot. Highly adaptable and opportunistic, the species frequents both marine and inland habitats and is notorious for boldly scavenging food from humans.

“kee-ouh-ke-ke-ke-keaaa”

Year-round resident along much of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; breeders from sub-arctic Canada and Iceland south to France and the U.S. Northeast, many northern birds migrate south or inland in winter.

Coastal beaches, rocky headlands, estuaries, harbours, reservoirs, large lakes, agricultural fields, urban rooftops and rubbish tips.

Breeds in noisy colonies from April–July; post-breeding birds disperse widely, gathering in large flocks at food-rich sites through autumn and winter. Juveniles undergo a four-year moult cycle before reaching adult plumage.