Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Appearance:

Large gull

Adult:

White head and underparts
Light gray back
White spots in black wingtips
Pale eyes (yellow iris)
Pink legs
Heavy, yellow bill with red spot near tip
Winter plumage:  Blurry grayish-brown streaking on head and neck
Immature:
All brown at first with black bill
Reaches adult plumage in fourth winter

Listen to its call.

I've never really given much thought to these birds before. A gull is a gull, right? Actually, no, it's not. In fact, I've discovered that it is one of the more difficult birds to identify. There are a number of different types of gulls found in Victoria, many of them varying only slightly. Without viewing them side-by-side, it is hard to tell whether one gull is smaller than the next or has a narrower bill. And don't even get me started on the immature gulls. They go through so many metamorphoses it is impossible to tell whether two gulls are the same kind even when they are standing next to each other.  So, I've tried to avoid tackling gulls until now. I started with this bird because, with its black wing-tips, light gray back and pale eye, it seemed like one of the easier ones to identify. I hope I'm not being too optimistic. If, however, I have made an error, please let me know. After all, "mistakes are the portal of discovery" (James Joyce).

Learn more about the Herring Gull.