Name: Herring Gull
Scientific name: Larus argentatus
Category: Birds
Nature Stars: 30
About: Found on farmland, wetlands and around the coast. A large, powerful gull, the typical 'sea gull', about 60cm long. Silvery grey above and white below, with a white head (streaky during the winter) and black wing tips with white spots. The herring gull is similar in appearance to the common gull but sports a red spot on its bill.
How to identify: Gulls can be very difficult to tell apart, especially immature birds. The most familiar large gulls, adult herring gulls are silvery grey above with pink legs.
Where: Widespread. Nests around the coast, on cliff tops, roof tops and islands.
Natural Superpowers
Fantastic fact: Herring gulls were once thought to be a common gull right round the northern hemisphere. However, in recent years scientists have realised that there are in fact several very similar, closely related species of 'herring gull', including yellow-legged gull.
Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc
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