Family: Laridae

Scientific Name: Larus argentatus

Description: Herring gull is most common gull of eastern, white wings, back grey, wing tips black, beak yellow with red dot near the tip. Eyes yellow, legs flesh pink. Young are mottled brown with black beaks; gradually transform to adult plumage. Total length is around 58-66 cm and width around 120cm.

Distribution: Common in eastern North America.

Habitat: Breeds on undisturbed islands, peninsulas and cliffs. During migration they occupy large lakes, wetlands, rivers, landfills and urban areas.

Nesting: Nests either singly or colonially with other gulls, pelicans, and cormorants. Herring gull pairs incubate 3 darkly blotched, olive to buff eggs or 31-32 days.

Diet: They feed on aquatic invertebrates and fish and also scavenge dead fish and garbage at landfills. Sometimes they eat other bird’s eggs and young.

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