© Herring Gull by Rob Miller Herring Gull Larus argentatus Swooping in and stealing your chips, the herring gull is the ‘typical seagull’ and is a familiar sight at any seaside town, particularly during the breeding season. © Herring Gull by Rob Miller In winter it can be found on farmland, wetland and coastal habitats, inland rubbish tips, school playing fields and reservoirs throughout Britain. A large gull, it is similar in appearance to the common gull but sports a red spot on its bill. This red spot spurred one of the classic studies in animal behaviour in the 1950s, led by Niko Tinbergen. Having seen gull chicks peck at their parents’ bills to encourage them to regurgitate food, he tried various dummy, parent shapes and colours to see the chicks’ response. He discovered that gull chicks will peck at any long, yellow thing with a red spot in order to get food – in other words, gull chicks have a built-in preference from birth for their parents’ bills; a worthwhile survival mechanism. How to Identify Gulls can be very difficult to tell apart, especially immature birds. Adult herring gulls are silvery-grey above and white below with pink legs. They have a white head (streaky during the winter) and black wingtips with white spots. They have a yellow bill with a red spot. Where to Find Widespread. Nests around the coast on cliff tops, rooftops and islands. How People Can Help Despite the seemingly common sound of the seagull at the seashore or the expected sight of a flock of seagulls at the local tip, populations of herring gulls have dramatically declined in recent years. Over half of the UK breeding population is now confined to just ten sites. The Wildlife Trusts are working with fishermen, researchers, politicians and local people towards a vision of ‘Living Seas’ where marine wildlife thrives. This work has recently had a massive boost with the passing of the Marine Bill, promising sustainable development of the UK’s marine environment. Do your bit for our Living Seas by supporting your local Wildlife Trust. Did you know? 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 the yellow-legged gull, the American herring gull, the Caspian gull and our own, European herring gull. Key FactsLength: 55-67cmWingspan: 1.4mWeight: 950-1,200gAverage Lifespan: 12 years Donate Donate to help support Herring Gulls and other wildlife. Donate Similar Species Barn Owl Birds Black-Headed Gull Birds Blackbird Birds Blackcap Birds Blue Tit Birds Bullfinch Birds Buzzard Birds Canada Goose Birds Carrion Crow Birds Chaffinch Birds Chiffchaff Birds Coal Tit Birds Collared Dove Birds Coot Birds Crossbill Birds Cuckoo Birds Curlew Birds Dipper Birds Dunnock Birds Fieldfare Birds Goldcrest Birds Golden Plover Birds Goldfinch Birds Goosander Birds Great Crested Grebe Birds Great Spotted Woodpecker Birds Great Tit Birds Greenfinch Birds Grey Heron Birds Grey Wagtail Birds Hen Harrier Birds Hobby Birds House Martin Birds House Sparrow Birds Jackdaw Birds Jay Birds Kestrel Birds Kingfisher Birds Lapwing Birds Lesser Redpoll Birds Linnet Birds Little Egret Birds Little Grebe Birds Little Owl Birds Little Ringed Plover Birds Long-Eared Owl Birds Long-Tailed Tit Birds Magpie Birds Mallard Birds Mandarin Duck Birds Marsh Harrier Birds Meadow Pipit Birds Merlin Birds Mistle Thrush Birds Moorhen Birds Nightjar Birds Nuthatch Birds Osprey Birds Oystercatcher Birds Peregrine falcon Birds Pied Wagtail Birds Raven Birds Red Grouse Birds Red Kite Birds Redstart Birds Redwing Birds Reed Bunting Birds Reed Warbler Birds Ringed Plover Birds Robin Birds Rock Pipit Birds Rook Birds Sedge Warbler Birds Short-Eared Owl Birds Siskin Birds Skylark Birds Snipe Birds Song Thrush Birds Sparrowhawk Birds Spotted Flycatcher Birds Starling Birds Stonechat Birds Swallow Birds Swift Birds Tawny owl Birds Teal Birds Tree Sparrow Birds Treecreeper Birds Tufted Duck Birds Water Rail Birds Waxwing Birds Wheatear Birds Whimbrel Birds Whinchat Birds Whitethroat Birds Wigeon Birds Willow Warbler Birds Wood Pigeon Birds Wood Warbler Birds Woodcock Birds Wren Birds Yellow Wagtail Birds Yellowhammer Birds