Common Gull

Name: Common Gull

Scientific name: Larus canus

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 50

What are nature stars?

About:

Found on farmland, wetlands and around the coast. A medium-sized gull, about 45cm long. Silvery grey above and white below, with a white head (streaky during the winter) and black wing tips with white spots.

Other gulls found in the UK:

Great black-backed gull

Black-headed gull

Herring gull

Lesser black-backed gull

How to identify: Best told by the combination of size (larger than Black-headed Gull and smaller than Herring Gull), greenish legs, yellow bill and white head.

Where: Nests on marshland and around lakes in the north of England and Scotland. Non-breeding birds are widespread.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 70
• Agility: 60
• Rarity: 40
• Cute factor: 30
• Traveller: 80

Fantastic fact: Despite the name, this is one of the scarcer gulls, much less common than Black-headed or Herring Gull.

Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc