GULLS not “Seagulls”!

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.

Gull in flight

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 behavior. 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 sub groupings of the gulls:

Large white-headed gulls for the 16 Herring Gull-like species from Great Black-backed Gull to Lesser Black-backed Gull in the taxonomic list.

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.

In common usage, members of various gull species are often called sea gulls or seagulls. This name is used by laypeople to refer to a common local species or all gulls in general, and has no fixed taxonomic meaning.

The word "seagull" is included in the dictionary because the term is so often applied by the laypersons to almost any gull they notice. However, this is a generalized term, which ignores the wide and fascinating variety of the species.

Species list

American Herring Gull, Larus smithsonianus

Andean Gull, Larus serranus

Armenian Gull, Larus armenicus

Audouin's Gull, Larus audouinii

Belcher's Gull, Larus belcheri

Black-billed Gull, Larus bulleri

Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus

Black-tailed Gull, Larus crassirostris

Bonaparte's Gull, Larus philadelphia

Brown-headed Gull, Larus brunnicephalus

Brown-hooded Gull, Larus maculipennis

California Gull, Larus californicus

Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans

Common Gull or Mew Gull, Larus canus

Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii

East Siberian Herring Gull, Larus vegae

Franklin's Gull, Larus pipixcan

Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus

Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens

Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus

Great Black-headed Gull, Larus ichthyaetus

Grey Gull, Larus modestus

Grey-headed Gull, Larus cirrocephalus

Hartlaub's Gull, Larus hartlaubii

Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus

Heuglin's Gull, Larus heuglini

Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides

Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnea

Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus

Kittiwake or Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla

Red-legged Kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris

Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla

Lava Gull, Larus fuliginosus

Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus

Little Gull, Larus minutus

Mediterranean Gull, Larus melanocephalus

Olrog's Gull, Larus atlanticus

Pacific Gull, Larus pacificus

Red-billed Gull, Larus scopulinus

Relict Gull, Larus relictus

Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis

Ross's Gull, Rhodostethia rosea

Sabine's Gull, Xema sabini

Saunders' Gull, Larus saundersi

Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae

Slaty-backed Gull, Larus schistisagus

Slender-billed Gull, Larus genei

Sooty Gull, Larus hemprichii

Swallow-tailed Gull, Creagrus furcatus

Thayer's Gull, Larus thayeri

Western Gull, Larus occidentalis

White-eyed Gull, Larus leucophthalmus

Yellow-footed Gull, Larus livens

Yellow-legged Gull, Larus michahellis

The American Ornithologists' Union combines Sternidae, Stercorariidae, and Rhynchopidae as subfamilies in the family Laridae.

Western Gull At the Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco

Herring Gull on the North Devon coast, England

Silver Gull in Sale, Australia

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 at Sale, Australia

Silver Gull at Sale, Australia

Yellow legged seagull

Herring Gull in Chile

Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans michahellis, Elba Island, Italy

Heermann's Gull, breeding adult plumage at Monterey, California

Kelp Gull (Larus Dominicanus), taken at Con Con, Chile.

Silver Gull in flight Fremantle, Western Australia.