European herring gull facts for kids

Quick facts for kids European herring gull
Breeding-plumaged adult on Heligoland
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Larus
Species:	argentatus
Range of L. argentatus      Breeding range     Year-round range     Wintering range

The European herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large gull. It can grow up to 66 cm (26 in) long. These gulls live and raise their young all along the northern and western coasts of Europe.

Some European herring gulls travel south for winter, especially from colder places. But many stay in one place all year, like in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or near the North Sea. They eat many different things, including fish, crabs, and even some plants. They are also scavengers, meaning they eat dead animals or food left behind by humans. They might even steal food from people!

Understanding Herring Gulls

What's in a Name?

The scientific name for the European herring gull comes from Latin. The word Larus seems to have meant a gull or a large seabird. The word argentatus means "decorated with silver." This probably refers to their silvery-grey feathers.

Scientists sometimes disagree on how to group gulls. The European herring gull is part of a group that includes the lesser black-backed gull. Different experts might say there are from two to eight different species in this group.

This group of gulls spreads out in a "ring" around the Northern Hemisphere. Gulls living next to each other can usually have babies together. But gulls at the very ends of the "ring" cannot.

Different Types of Herring Gulls

Two L. a. argenteus gulls on the shore in Ireland.

There are a few types of gulls that are very similar to the European herring gull. Some scientists consider them separate species, while others see them as subspecies (a type of the same species).

• L. a. argentatus: This type is sometimes called the Scandinavian herring gull. It lives in Scandinavia and northwestern Russia. Gulls from the north and east fly southwest for winter. They are large gulls with lots of white on their wingtips.
• L. a. argenteus: This type is known as the Western European herring gull. It lives in Western Europe, including Iceland, Britain, and France. Many of these gulls stay in one place, while others fly short distances for winter. They are a bit smaller than the Scandinavian type.

Other gulls that used to be grouped with the European herring gull include the American herring gull and the Vega gull.

What Do Herring Gulls Look Like?

Male European herring gulls are about 60 to 67 cm (24 to 26 in) long and weigh about 1050 to 1525 grams (2.3 to 3.4 lb). Females are a bit smaller, about 55 to 62 cm (22 to 24 in) long and weigh 710 to 1100 grams (1.6 to 2.4 lb). Their wings can spread wide, from 125 to 155 cm (49 to 61 in).

Adult gulls that are ready to breed have a light grey back and upper wings. Their heads and undersides are white. The tips of their wings are black with white spots, which are called "mirrors." Their beaks are yellow with a red spot. They also have a ring of bare yellow skin around their pale eyes. Their legs are usually pink, but some gulls in the Baltic Sea area can have yellowish legs.

When gulls are not breeding, adults have brown streaks on their heads and necks. Males and females look the same, but males are often bigger.

Young gulls look different.

• Juvenile and first-winter birds are mostly brown with darker streaks. They have dark beaks and eyes.
• Second-winter birds have whiter heads and undersides with fewer streaks. Their backs start to turn grey.
• Third-winter gulls look a lot like adults. But they still have some brown feathers in their wings and dark marks on their beaks.

European herring gulls get their full adult feathers and are ready to have babies when they are about four years old.

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  Juvenile, Portugal

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  Juvenile in first winter plumage

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  Adolescent (second winter)

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  Sub-adult (third winter)

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  Adult (non-breeding plumage), Portugal

Yellow-Legged Gulls

An adult L. argentatus with yellow legs (right). Its baby has the normal pink color. This bird is not the same as the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis). Photo from Warnemünde, Germany.

Sometimes, you might see a European herring gull with yellow legs. This happens especially in the southwestern Baltic Sea. These gulls are not a different type of herring gull. They can still have babies with gulls that have normal pink legs. Their babies might have yellow or pink legs.

These yellow-legged herring gulls are not the same as the yellow-legged gull (L. michahellis). Yellow-legged gulls are more common in the Mediterranean Sea.

Adult with yellow legs, an Omissus variant.

Gulls That Look Similar

Adult European herring gulls look a bit like ring-billed gulls. But herring gulls are much bigger. They have pinkish legs and a thicker yellow beak.

The European herring gull can be told apart from the lesser black-backed gull. The lesser black-backed gull has a darker grey back and yellow legs and feet. The European herring gull has a lighter grey back and pink legs.

Herring Gull Sounds

Herring gulls are loud and social birds. They have very clear calls. Their loud, laughing call is famous. Many people think of it as the sound of the seaside.

European herring gulls also make a yelping alarm call. They have a low, barking sound when they are worried. Their most famous call is the "long call." They use this call to mark their territory to other gulls. They start with their head down and then raise it as they call.

Baby gulls and young gulls make a high-pitched "peep" sound. They also flick their heads when they want food from their parents. Adult gulls in cities sometimes do this too when humans feed them.

Herring Gull Behavior

European herring gull groups have a loose "pecking order." This means some gulls are more dominant than others. Their rank depends on their size, how aggressive they are, and their strength.

Adult male gulls are usually in charge when it comes to food or territory disputes. They are stronger than females and young gulls. But adult females are usually the ones who choose the best nesting spots.

Scientists believe European herring gulls have amazing eyesight, both during the day and at night. They can also see ultraviolet light. They seem to have excellent hearing. They can also taste salt and sour things very well.

Where Do Herring Gulls Live?

Herring gulls live and breed in many parts of northwestern Europe. This includes Iceland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France.

Since 2009, herring gulls in the United Kingdom have been on a "red list." This means they are a bird of high conservation concern. Their numbers have gone down a lot in the UK.

You can find them along all the coasts of Europe, including the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes, they are even seen inland. Some have been seen far away in Israel, Cyprus, and Turkey.

Gulls in France usually stay in one place. But gulls from northern areas fly to the coasts of northwestern Europe for winter.

What Do Herring Gulls Eat?

European herring gulls looking for food in a pile of burnt grain in Ystad in 2021.

Fighting for a fish.

Adult in winter plumage with a begging young gull.

European herring gulls eat almost anything. They are "omnivores" (eat plants and animals) and "opportunists" (eat whatever they can find). They often look for food at garbage dumps, landfills, and sewage pipes. Trash can make up half of their diet!

They also steal eggs and young birds from other birds, even from other gulls. They hunt for small prey in fields, on the coast, or in cities. They might even steal food from plovers or lapwings.

Herring gulls can dive into the water from the surface to catch prey. But they usually can't go deeper than 1 to 2 meters (3 to 7 ft). Even though they are called "herring gulls," they don't especially prefer herring fish. Studies show they eat more sea urchins and crabs than fish. But fish is the main food they bring back for their babies.

These gulls are clever. They often drop shelled food, like clams, from a height to break the shell. They have even been seen using pieces of bread as bait to catch goldfish! They also eat plants like roots, seeds, nuts, and fruits.

If they are not very hungry, captive gulls usually don't like spoiled meat or very salty food. Gulls might even wash their food in water to clean it or make it taste better before eating.

European herring gulls sometimes tap their feet on the ground in a rhythmic way. This looks a bit like a dance! They do this to make the ground vibrate. This causes earthworms to come to the surface, and then the gull eats them. The vibrations might make the worms think a mole is digging nearby, so they try to escape to the surface.

Even though they can drink seawater without getting sick (they have special glands above their eyes to remove extra salt), they prefer fresh water if they can find it.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Herring gull eggs, from the Museum Wiesbaden, Germany.

When a male and female gull decide to become a pair, the female approaches the male in his territory. She acts humble and makes begging calls, like a young gull. If the male doesn't attack her, he stands tall and makes a soft "mewing" call. Then, they both start tossing their heads together. After this, the male often brings up some food for his new mate.

They then choose a nesting spot together. They will often use the same spot for many years. European herring gulls usually stay with the same partner for their whole lives, as long as they successfully hatch their eggs.

Gulls usually lay two to four eggs, most often three. They lay them on the ground or on cliff ledges in large groups called colonies. They protect their eggs very strongly. The eggs are usually olive-brown with dark spots. Both parents sit on the eggs for 28 to 30 days to keep them warm.

When the chicks hatch, their eyes are open. They are covered in soft, fluffy down feathers. They can walk around within hours of hatching. Other birds like great black-backed gulls, harriers, corvids (like crows), and herons sometimes hunt chicks in these colonies.

Young gulls peck at the red spot on the adult's beak when they are hungry. Then, the parents usually bring up food for them. The young birds can fly 35 to 40 days after hatching. They leave the nest at five or six weeks old. Parents usually feed their chicks until they are 11 to 12 weeks old. But they might keep feeding them for more than six months if the young gulls keep asking for food.

Like most gulls, European herring gulls live a long time. The oldest recorded herring gull lived to be 49 years old! Birds of prey like owls and peregrine falcons sometimes hunt adult gulls that are not nesting. Seals, especially grey seals, also sometimes eat them.

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  Mating

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  On nest

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  Chick with an egg in nest

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  Adult bringing up food for its chicks

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  Adult feeding one of its chicks

Herring Gulls and Humans

Tearing open a bin bag.

Stealing food from a man's hand.

Perching on spikes meant to keep birds away.

A rubbish bag made to stop gulls from tearing it open.

In the UK, the number of European herring gulls is going down across the country. This is true even though their numbers are increasing in cities. The UK population has dropped by 50% in 25 years. Because of this, they are now protected by law. Since 2010, you need a special license to harm them. This license is only given in very specific situations.

Gulls are found all year round in British cities and gardens. This is because of several reasons:

• street lighting lets them find food at night.
• There's lots of discarded food in the streets.
• Food waste is often in easy-to-tear plastic bin bags.
• People sometimes leave food out for other birds, or even for the gulls themselves.
• There are fewer predators in cities.
• Rooftops in towns and cities are warm, safe, and quiet places to build nests.

Large groups of gulls, mostly European herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls, now live in cities like Cardiff, Bristol, and London.

If they are not bothered, herring gulls can become quite tame around people. They might even get used to certain people they trust. Sometimes, they even go inside buildings to get or steal food.

Gulls living in cities have a much better chance of survival than those on the coast. Less than 5% of adult city gulls die each year. Also, each pair of European herring gulls in cities usually raises three chicks per year. This, combined with their long lives, has led to a big increase in their numbers in cities. This has caused problems between gulls and humans.

Once they get used to humans, city gulls will quickly swoop down to steal food from people's hands. However, a study in 2019 showed that some gulls are less likely to snatch food if a person makes eye contact with them.

During the breeding season, gulls can become aggressive. They might "dive bomb" and try to hit humans with their claws and wings. They might even spray poop or vomit. They do this if they think humans are a threat to their eggs and chicks. This often happens to innocent people walking by or living in buildings where gulls nest. Large amounts of gull poop on buildings and the noise from gulls during summer are also annoying to people living near them.

People have tried many ways to stop gulls from nesting in cities without harming them. But these attempts have mostly failed. European herring gulls are smart. They will ignore most bird-scaring devices once they realize they are not a threat. Spikes, wires, and nets on rooftops usually don't work either. Gulls have large, wide feet with thick skin. This helps them balance well and protects them from sharp objects. They can just balance on top of these obstacles. If nests are removed or eggs are taken, broken, or oiled, the gulls simply rebuild or lay new eggs. Or they choose another nest spot nearby and start again.

Fake birds of prey placed on buildings are usually ignored by gulls. They quickly learn these aren't real. Trying to scare gulls away with real raptors also doesn't work well. While gulls can be scared by birds of prey, they are also social birds with strength in numbers. They are big, strong, and aggressive. They can fight back against a predator, especially if their chicks are in danger. In fact, gulls might even be a bigger threat to a raptor than the other way around! European herring gulls are also used to predators like skuas living near their nests in the wild. So, predators don't really stop them from breeding.