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; also along coasts, rivers, and lakes in the southeast and west from southern Alaska south to Baja California; also found in Eurasia. Nests on open beaches, islands, or shorelines; stays on large lakes, wetlands, rivers, landfills and public areas during migration and winter.

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.