General

Herring Gull: Large gull with pale gray back and wings with black tips, and white head, neck and breast. Bill is yellow with red spot near tip; legs are pink. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has duller bill and gray-brown streaks on head and neck. Juvenile is brown with dark-barred rump and tail, and has black bill and legs. 1st winter and 2nd winter have pale brown heads, necks, upper breasts, and bellies, black tails, and black-tipped pink bills. 3rd winter resembles winter adult but has black tipped bill.

Range and Habitat

Herring Gull: Breeds from Alaska east across northern Canada to Maritime Provinces, south to British Columbia, north-central Canada, and Great Lakes, and along Atlantic coast to North Carolina. Winters in all but its northernmost breeding areas and from southern Alaska to Baja California. Nests on open beaches, islands, or shorelines; stays on lakes, wetlands, rivers, and landfills.

Breeding and Nesting

Herring Gull: Two to three gray, green, blue, or brown eggs with brown, lavender, and black streaks are laid in a shallow ground scrape lined with plants and sticks. Incubation ranges from 23 to 27 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Herring Gull: Feeds mostly on aquatic invertebrates and small fish; gleans the ground for insects and worms; scavenges dead fish and garbage at landfills; also eats bird eggs and young.

Vocalization

Herring Gull: Makes a loud, rollicking call, "kuk-kuk-kuk", "yucca-yucca-yucca", or other raucous cries.

Similar Species

Herring Gull: California Gull is larger, has pink legs, yellow eyes, paler back, and thicker yellow bill. Ring-billed Gull is much smaller, has yellow legs, and a complete black ring on the bill.