Herring Gull

NL: Zilvermeeuw
D: Silbermöwe
F: Goéland argenté

Latin name: Larus argentatus (Pontoppidan, 1763)

Bird group: Gulls and terns

Sound: Ordinary call a repeated, hoarse ‘kyow’; has a large repertoire of other calls.

Field characteristics: 55-66 cm. Size highly variable, male considerably larger than female. May be confused with Common Gull, but is much larger, with heavier bill (with red spot on gonys) and flesh colored legs. Part of the Baltic population has yellowish to yellow legs; can be distinguished from Yellow-legged Gull by a lighter gray mantle and more white markings in the wing tip. Black wing tips distinguish this species and Common Gull from Kleine Burgemeester and Grote Burgemeester. Mantle and upper wing pale blue-grey; wing tips black with white spots; other plumage white. Winter plumage similar, but with greyish stripes on head, neck and upper chest. Juvenile difficult to distinguish from juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull; appears more even in flight, with no clear contrast between sub-terminal tail band and encircled parts, and with contrast between inner light brown and dark outer main feathers (equally dark in Lesser Black-backed Gull). Common gull, more aggressive than other gulls.

Appearance: Common breeding bird; locally very common. Northern populations are migratory, other populations are resident.

Habitat: Breeds in colonies along or near the coast, on rocky coasts, islands and beaches, and for some years also on buildings. Outside breeding season in any biotope, but also inland, for example on newly plowed fields and garbage dumps.

Food: Eat all kinds of animal food, live or dead; also plant material and human waste.

Song/call: