Gull
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? Gulls |
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 A
Silver Gull,
Lakes
Entrance
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Genera
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| Pagophila Larus Rissa Creagus Xema Rhodostethia |
Gulls are seabirds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns (family Sternidae), and more distantly to the waders, auks and skimmers. Most gulls belong to the large genus Larus.
They are in general medium to large birds, typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Most gulls, particularly Larus species, are ground nesting carnivores, which will take live food or scavenge opportunistically. The live food often includes crabs and small fish.
Apart from the kittiwakes, gulls are typically coastal or inland species, rarely venturing far out to sea. The large species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small gulls.
Gulls — the larger species in particular, are resourceful and highly-intelligent birds, demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly-developed social structure. Certain species (e.g. the Herring Gull) have exhibited tool use behaviour. Many species of gull have learned to co-exist successfully with man and have thrived in human habitats.
Two terms are in common usage among gull enthusiasts for subgroupings of the gulls:
- Large white-headed gulls for the Herring Gull and similar species (these are indicated by LWHG in the list below
- White-winged gulls for the two Arctic-breeding species Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull
Hybridisation between species of gull occurs quite frequently, although to varying degrees depending on the species involved - see Hybridisation in gulls.
The taxonomy of the large white-headed gulls is particularly complicated.
Species list
- Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii
- Pacific Gull, Larus pacificus
- Belcher's Gull, Larus belcheri
- Olrog's Gull, Larus atlanticus
- Black-tailed Gull, Larus crassirostris
- Grey Gull, Larus modestus
- Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni
- White-eyed Gull, Larus leucophthalmus
- Sooty Gull, Larus hemprichii
- Common Gull or Mew Gull, Larus canus
- Audouin's Gull, Larus audouinii
- Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
- California Gull, Larus californicus
- Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus LWHG
- Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus LWHG
- Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens LWHG
- Western Gull, Larus occidentalis LWHG
- Yellow-footed Gull, Larus livens LWHG
- Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus LWHG
- Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides LWHG
- Thayer's Gull, Larus thayeri LWHG
- Herring Gull, Larus argentatus LWHG
- American Herring Gull, Larus smithsonianus LWHG
- Yellow-legged Gull, Larus michahellis LWHG
- Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans LWHG
- East Siberian Herring Gull, Larus vegae LWHG
- Armenian Gull, Larus armenicus LWHG
- Slaty-backed Gull, Larus schistisagus LWHG
- Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus LWHG
- Great Black-headed Gull, Larus ichthyaetus
- Brown-headed Gull, Larus brunnicephalus
- Grey-headed Gull, Larus cirrocephalus
- Hartlaub's Gull, Larus hartlaubii
- Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae
- Red-billed Gull, Larus scopulinus
- Black-billed Gull, Larus bulleri
- Brown-hooded Gull, Larus maculipennis
- Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus
- Slender-billed Gull, Larus genei
- Bonaparte's Gull, Larus philadelphia
- Saunders' Gull, Larus saundersi
- Andean Gull, Larus serranus
- Mediterranean Gull, Larus melanocephalus
- Relict Gull, Larus relictus
- Lava Gull, Larus fuliginosus
- Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla
- Franklin's Gull, Larus pipixcan
- Little Gull, Larus minutus
- Kittiwake or Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
- Red-legged Kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris
- Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnea
- Ross's Gull, Rhodostethia rosea
- Sabine's Gull, Xema sabini
- Swallow-tailed Gull, Creagrus furcatus
- Heuglin's Gull, Larus heuglini
The American Ornithologists' Union combines Sternidae, Stercorariidae, and Rhynchopidae as subfamilies in the family Laridae.
Gallery
 Western Gull |
 Western Gull At the Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco |
 Herring Gull on the North Devon coast, England |
 Silver Gull in Sale |
 Silver Gull at Sale, Australia |
 Silver Gull at Sale, Australia |
 Silver Gull at Rose Bay, Australia |
 Kelp Gull in Chile |
 Great Black-backed Gull, Stornoway, Hebrides |
 Silver Gull |
 Silver Gull |
 Silver Gull |
 Yellow legged seagull |
 Herring Gull |
 Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans michahellis, Elba Island, Italy |
 Heermann's Gull, breeding adult plumage at Monterey, California |