Herring Gull
The (European) Herring Gull is a species of large gull. It is 22 to 26 inches in length with a wingspan of 49 to 61 inches. The male is slightly larger than the female.
The adult Herring Gull in breeding plumage has a grey back and upper wings and white head and underparts. The wingtips are black with white spots known as "mirrors". The bill is yellow with a red spot and a ring of bare yellow skin is seen around the pale eye. The legs are normally pink at all ages but can be yellowish. Male and female plumage are identical at all stages of development. Non-breeding adults have brown streaks on their heads and necks. Juvenile and first-winter birds are mainly brown with darker streaks and have a dark bill and eyes. Second-winter birds have a whiter head and underparts with less streaking and the back is grey. Third-winter individuals are similar to adults but retain some of the features of immature birds such as brown feathers in the wings and dark markings on the bill. The Herring Gull attains adult plumage and reaches sexual maturity at an average age of 4 years.
The adult Herring Gull is similar to the Ring-billed Gull but it is much larger, has pinkish legs and a much thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. First-winter birds are much browner but second-winter and third-winter birds can be confusing since soft part colours are variable and third-winter birds often show a ring around the bill. Such birds are most easily distinguished by the larger size and larger bill of Herring Gull. The Herring Gull can be differentiated from the closely related and slightly smaller Lesser Black-backed Gull by the latter's dark grey (not actually black) back and upper wing plumage and its yellow legs and feet.
The loud, laughing call of the Herring Gull is well known in Europe and it is often seen as a symbol of the seaside in countries such as the UK. It also has a yelping alarm call and a low, barking anxiety call. The most distinct and best known call produced by the Herring Gull is the raucous territorial “long call” used to signal boundaries to other birds. It is performed initially with the head bowed and then raised as the call continues. Chicks and fledglings emit a distinctive, repetitive, high-pitched “peep” accompanied by a head-flicking gesture when begging for food from or calling to their parents. Adults in urban areas also exhibit this behaviour when fed by humans.
Herring Gull flocks have a loose pecking order based on size, aggressiveness and physical strength. Adult males are usually dominant over females and juveniles in feeding and boundary disputes whilst adult females are typically dominant when selecting their nesting sites. Communication between birds is complex and highly developed, employing both calls and body language.
The Herring Gull is one of the best-known of all gulls and it breeds across north Europe, west Europe, central Europe, east Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Some birds, especially those breeding in colder areas, migrate further south in winter but many are permanent residents, e.g. in the UK or on the North Sea coast.
The Herring Gull is almost exclusively sexually monogamous and may pair up for life provided the couple is successful in breeding. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs, but usually 3, on the ground or cliff ledges in colonies and the nest is defended vigorously. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 28 to 30 days. The chicks hatch with their eyes open, covered with fluffy down and they are able to walk around within hours. Juveniles use their beaks to peck at the red spot on the beaks of adults to indicate hunger and then the parents typically disgorge food. The young birds are able to fly 35 to 40 days after hatching and fledge at 5 or 6 weeks of age. Chicks are generally fed by their parents until they are 11 to 12 weeks old but feeding may continue for more than 6 months of age if the young gulls continue to beg.
The Herring Gull has a varied diet, including fish (although despite their name, they have no special preference for herrings), crustaceans and dead animals. Vegetable matter such as roots, tubers, seeds, grains, nuts and fruit, is also taken. It is an opportunistic omnivore like most gulls and it will scavenge from rubbish dumps, landfill sites and sewage outflows with refuse comprising up to half of its diet. It will also take the eggs and young of other birds (including those of other gulls), steal food from other birds as well as seek suitable small prey in fields, on the coast or in urban areas.
The Herring Gull may also dive from the surface of the water or engage in plunge diving in the pursuit of aquatic prey although they are typically unable to reach depths greater than 3 to 6 feet due to their natural buoyancy. It can frequently be seen dropping shelled prey from a height to break the shell and it has also been observed using pieces of bread as bait. It may also be observed rhythmically drumming its feet upon the ground for prolonged periods of time for the purpose of creating vibrations in the soil and driving earthworms to the surface which are then consumed.
In the UK, the Herring Gull is declining significantly across the country despite an increase in urban areas. The UK population has decreased by 50% in 25 years and it is protected by law. Since January 2010, Natural England has allowed lethal control only with a specific individual licence that is available only in limited circumstances. Natural England made the change following a public consultation in response to the RSPB placing the Herring Gull on its “Red List” of threatened bird species in 2009, affording it the highest possible conservation status. Previously, killing the Herring Gull was allowed under a general licence obtainable by authorised persons (e.g. landowners or occupiers) under certain circumstances (e.g. to prevent serious damage to crops or livestock, to prevent disease or to preserve public health or safety) without requiring additional permission beyond the general licence.
The Herring Gull is an increasingly common rooftop nesting bird in urban areas of the UK and many individual birds show little fear of humans. The Clean Air Act 1956 banned the burning of refuse at landfill sites and this provided the Herring Gull with a regular and plentiful source of food. As a direct result, the urban population in the UK increased. Faced with a lack of space at their traditional coastal colonies, the Herring Gull ventured inland in search of new breeding areas. Decreasing fish stocks in the seas around the UK may also have been a significant factor in the move inland.
The Herring Gull is now found all year round in the streets and gardens of the UK due to the presence of street lighting (which allows foraging at night), discarded food in streets, food waste contained in easy to tear plastic bin bags, food intentionally left out for other birds, the relative lack of predators and readily available, convenient, warm and undisturbed rooftop nesting space in towns and cities.
The survival rate for urban Herring Gulls is much higher than their counterparts in coastal areas, with an annual adult mortality rate of less than 5%. Also, each pair commonly rears 3 chicks per year. This, when combined with their long-lived nature, has resulted in a massive increase in numbers over a relatively short period of time and has brought urban Herring Gulls into conflict with humans. A range of non-lethal attempts to deter them from nesting in urban areas have been largely unsuccessful.
Date: 2nd July 2019
Location: Hornøya, Barents Sea, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
The adult Herring Gull in breeding plumage has a grey back and upper wings and white head and underparts. The wingtips are black with white spots known as "mirrors". The bill is yellow with a red spot and a ring of bare yellow skin is seen around the pale eye. The legs are normally pink at all ages but can be yellowish. Male and female plumage are identical at all stages of development. Non-breeding adults have brown streaks on their heads and necks. Juvenile and first-winter birds are mainly brown with darker streaks and have a dark bill and eyes. Second-winter birds have a whiter head and underparts with less streaking and the back is grey. Third-winter individuals are similar to adults but retain some of the features of immature birds such as brown feathers in the wings and dark markings on the bill. The Herring Gull attains adult plumage and reaches sexual maturity at an average age of 4 years.
The adult Herring Gull is similar to the Ring-billed Gull but it is much larger, has pinkish legs and a much thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. First-winter birds are much browner but second-winter and third-winter birds can be confusing since soft part colours are variable and third-winter birds often show a ring around the bill. Such birds are most easily distinguished by the larger size and larger bill of Herring Gull. The Herring Gull can be differentiated from the closely related and slightly smaller Lesser Black-backed Gull by the latter's dark grey (not actually black) back and upper wing plumage and its yellow legs and feet.
The loud, laughing call of the Herring Gull is well known in Europe and it is often seen as a symbol of the seaside in countries such as the UK. It also has a yelping alarm call and a low, barking anxiety call. The most distinct and best known call produced by the Herring Gull is the raucous territorial “long call” used to signal boundaries to other birds. It is performed initially with the head bowed and then raised as the call continues. Chicks and fledglings emit a distinctive, repetitive, high-pitched “peep” accompanied by a head-flicking gesture when begging for food from or calling to their parents. Adults in urban areas also exhibit this behaviour when fed by humans.
Herring Gull flocks have a loose pecking order based on size, aggressiveness and physical strength. Adult males are usually dominant over females and juveniles in feeding and boundary disputes whilst adult females are typically dominant when selecting their nesting sites. Communication between birds is complex and highly developed, employing both calls and body language.
The Herring Gull is one of the best-known of all gulls and it breeds across north Europe, west Europe, central Europe, east Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Some birds, especially those breeding in colder areas, migrate further south in winter but many are permanent residents, e.g. in the UK or on the North Sea coast.
The Herring Gull is almost exclusively sexually monogamous and may pair up for life provided the couple is successful in breeding. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs, but usually 3, on the ground or cliff ledges in colonies and the nest is defended vigorously. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 28 to 30 days. The chicks hatch with their eyes open, covered with fluffy down and they are able to walk around within hours. Juveniles use their beaks to peck at the red spot on the beaks of adults to indicate hunger and then the parents typically disgorge food. The young birds are able to fly 35 to 40 days after hatching and fledge at 5 or 6 weeks of age. Chicks are generally fed by their parents until they are 11 to 12 weeks old but feeding may continue for more than 6 months of age if the young gulls continue to beg.
The Herring Gull has a varied diet, including fish (although despite their name, they have no special preference for herrings), crustaceans and dead animals. Vegetable matter such as roots, tubers, seeds, grains, nuts and fruit, is also taken. It is an opportunistic omnivore like most gulls and it will scavenge from rubbish dumps, landfill sites and sewage outflows with refuse comprising up to half of its diet. It will also take the eggs and young of other birds (including those of other gulls), steal food from other birds as well as seek suitable small prey in fields, on the coast or in urban areas.
The Herring Gull may also dive from the surface of the water or engage in plunge diving in the pursuit of aquatic prey although they are typically unable to reach depths greater than 3 to 6 feet due to their natural buoyancy. It can frequently be seen dropping shelled prey from a height to break the shell and it has also been observed using pieces of bread as bait. It may also be observed rhythmically drumming its feet upon the ground for prolonged periods of time for the purpose of creating vibrations in the soil and driving earthworms to the surface which are then consumed.
In the UK, the Herring Gull is declining significantly across the country despite an increase in urban areas. The UK population has decreased by 50% in 25 years and it is protected by law. Since January 2010, Natural England has allowed lethal control only with a specific individual licence that is available only in limited circumstances. Natural England made the change following a public consultation in response to the RSPB placing the Herring Gull on its “Red List” of threatened bird species in 2009, affording it the highest possible conservation status. Previously, killing the Herring Gull was allowed under a general licence obtainable by authorised persons (e.g. landowners or occupiers) under certain circumstances (e.g. to prevent serious damage to crops or livestock, to prevent disease or to preserve public health or safety) without requiring additional permission beyond the general licence.
The Herring Gull is an increasingly common rooftop nesting bird in urban areas of the UK and many individual birds show little fear of humans. The Clean Air Act 1956 banned the burning of refuse at landfill sites and this provided the Herring Gull with a regular and plentiful source of food. As a direct result, the urban population in the UK increased. Faced with a lack of space at their traditional coastal colonies, the Herring Gull ventured inland in search of new breeding areas. Decreasing fish stocks in the seas around the UK may also have been a significant factor in the move inland.
The Herring Gull is now found all year round in the streets and gardens of the UK due to the presence of street lighting (which allows foraging at night), discarded food in streets, food waste contained in easy to tear plastic bin bags, food intentionally left out for other birds, the relative lack of predators and readily available, convenient, warm and undisturbed rooftop nesting space in towns and cities.
The survival rate for urban Herring Gulls is much higher than their counterparts in coastal areas, with an annual adult mortality rate of less than 5%. Also, each pair commonly rears 3 chicks per year. This, when combined with their long-lived nature, has resulted in a massive increase in numbers over a relatively short period of time and has brought urban Herring Gulls into conflict with humans. A range of non-lethal attempts to deter them from nesting in urban areas have been largely unsuccessful.
Date: 2nd July 2019
Location: Hornøya, Barents Sea, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
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Also in: North Norway
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