Seagulls: The Most Important Information And Facts

What is a seagull?

The gull is one of 40 species of seabirds with thin web legs. It belongs to the family of gulls (Laridae) of the order of plovers (Charadriiformes). Gulls live abundantly in the northern hemisphere, which includes about 30 species in the regions. Temperate and Arctic, seagulls usually prefer to be present in groups of birds near bodies of water.

Morphological characteristics of seagulls

Adult gulls are known for their gray or white color with variable head markings. During the breeding season, their heads are either pure white, black, grey, or brown, and become streaked or blotchy in winter. They have a strong beak that is slightly hooked downwards, and shows a colored spot ( They are often red (often red) on the beak in some species. They have exposed legs and are able to walk on sand. The colors of the beak and legs help distinguish the types of gulls along with the shapes of the wings. The wings of gulls are characterized by their breadth, and male gulls are usually larger than females . They have a larger beak, and the length of gulls usually ranges from 28 to 81 cm.

Breeding seagulls

Gulls build their nests on sea cliffs, sand dunes, islands located on the coast, and other hard-to-reach locations. The nest is in the shape of a cup and elaborately built of twigs and grass. After mating between the male and female takes place, the female gull lays 2 to 4 Eggs are incubated by both parents for up to 30 days in May and June.

The eggs begin to hatch after about 27 days of incubation, then the chicks leave the nest shortly after. The young seagulls become able to fly about 5 to 6 weeks after hatching, then become independent after 7 to 8 weeks of hatching, and are ready to mate at the age of 4. Often years, some gulls may live 20 years or more. That is, they are long-lived birds.

Seagull feeding

Gulls feed on insects, molluscs, and marine crustaceans found on beaches, along with worms and larvae in plowed fields, in addition to fish found along beaches or on old ships. Some large gulls also prey on eggs and young birds of other birds, including their own type. .

The most famous types of seagulls

Humans can see many types of seagulls, and the most famous of these types are as follows:

Herring gull : Also called the silver gull , it is the typical type of gull. It is distinguished from most gulls by its large size, pale gray upperparts, and pink legs. It has a white head in summer and develops dark stripes in winter.

Lesser black -backed gull : Similar in size to the herring gull, or often slightly smaller, adults are recognized by their dark gray upperparts and bright yellow legs.

Great black -backed gull : The largest gull in the world, as it is distinguished by its huge size, heavy beak, and large square head, which makes its eyes appear very small, with the upper parts of its body being black, while the legs are pale pink in color. Adults.

Common gull : This species is a small version of the herring gull. Adults have pale gray upper parts, yellow-green legs, dark eyes and a thin yellow beak. The legs and beak become dull in winter, and the head becomes grey-striped.

Kittiwake: This species is rarely found far from the coast, and is characterized by being slightly larger than the Black-headed Gull, with dark gray upperparts (pale towards the wingtips), a bright yellow beak, and black legs, and lacks black wingtips. Solid to white spots of the common gull.

The rarest species of gulls

Below is a group of the rarest known types of gulls:

Mediterranean gull : Slightly larger than the black-headed gull, but the adult bird has pale upper parts, a crimson bill, white legs and wingtips, and a dark bill in winter.

Iceland gull : Iceland gulls are the only large gulls with white wings. They are smaller in size compared to glossy gulls and have a thin beak, small head, and large eyes.

Glaucous gull : If this species is compared to the Iceland gull, it has a heavier build, with a larger beak, and smaller eyes, which can give it an aggressive expression.

Yellow-legged gull : Very similar to the herring gull, it is difficult to distinguish between them, but it has bright yellow legs with a strong beak with a large red spot and a slightly darker back. In autumn/winter, the head is usually less striped than Herring.

Little gull : Smaller even than the black-headed gull with a small, dark bill. Adults have pale gray upperparts and dark underwings.