Herring gull

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Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus Larus , all formerly treated as a single species.

Three species are still combined in some taxonomies:

Additional species formerly included within this species include:

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gull</span> Seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari

Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, most gulls were placed in the genus Larus, but that arrangement is now considered polyphyletic, leading to the resurrection of several genera. An older name for gulls is mews, which is cognate with German Möwe, Danish måge, Swedish mås, Dutch meeuw, Norwegian måke/måse, and French mouette, and can still be found in certain regional dialects.

<i>Larus</i> Genus of birds

Larus is a large genus of gulls with worldwide distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common gull</span> Species of bird

The common gull is a medium-sized gull that breeds in cool temperate regions of the Palearctic. Most common gulls migrate further south in winter, reaching the Mediterranean Sea, the southern Caspian Sea, and the seas around China and Japan; northwest European populations are at least partly resident. The closely related short-billed gull was formerly often included in this species, which was then known collectively as "mew gull".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European herring gull</span> Species of bird

The European herring gull is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. It breeds throughout the northern and western coasts of Europe. Some European herring gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate further south in winter, but many are permanent residents, such as in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or on the North Sea shores. They have a varied diet, including fish, crustaceans, as well as some plants, and are also scavengers, consuming carrion and food left by or stolen from humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great black-backed gull</span> Species of bird

The great black-backed gull is the largest member of the gull family. Described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as "the king of the Atlantic waterfront", it is a very aggressive hunter, pirate, and scavenger. It breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and is fairly sedentary, though some move farther south or inland to large lakes and reservoirs. The adult great black-backed gull has a white head, neck and underparts, dark grey wings and back, pink legs and yellow bill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser black-backed gull</span> Species of bird

The lesser black-backed gull is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. However, it has increased dramatically in North America, especially along the east coast. Formerly just a winter visitor to North America, it has increased and occurs in large numbers some winters and birds are now recorded year-round. However, there is serious concern about decline in many parts of its range. The species is on the UK Amber List because the UK is home to 40 per cent of the European population and more than half of these are found at fewer than ten breeding sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glaucous gull</span> Species of bird

The glaucous gull is a large gull, the second-largest gull in the world. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name hyperboreus is Latin for "northern" from the Ancient Greek Huperboreoi people from the far north "Glaucous" is from Latin glaucus and denotes the grey colour of the gull. An older English name for this species is burgomaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iceland gull</span> Species of bird in the genus Larus

The Iceland gull is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland, where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name glaucoides denotes its resemblance to Larus glaucus, a synonym of Larus hyperboreus, the glaucous gull; -oides is Ancient Greek and means "resembling".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-legged gull</span> Species of bird

The yellow-legged gull is a large gull found in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian gull L. cachinnans, or more broadly as a subspecies of the herring gull L. argentatus. The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and the species name honours the German zoologist Karl Michahelles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caspian gull</span> Species of bird

The Caspian gull is a large gull and a member of the herring and lesser black-backed gull complex. The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and cachinnans means 'laughing', from cachinnare 'to laugh'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver gull</span> Species of bird

The silver gull is the most common gull of Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly at or near coastal areas. It is smaller than the Pacific gull, which also lives in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring species</span> Connected series of neighbouring populations

In biology, a ring species is a connected series of neighbouring populations, each of which interbreeds with closely sited related populations, but for which there exist at least two "end populations" in the series, which are too distantly related to interbreed, though there is a potential gene flow between each "linked" population and the next. Such non-breeding, though genetically connected, "end populations" may co-exist in the same region (sympatry) thus closing a "ring". The German term Rassenkreis, meaning a circle of races, is also used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glaucous-winged gull</span> Species of bird

The glaucous-winged gull is a large, white-headed gull. The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific glaucescens is Neo-Latin for "glaucous" from the Ancient Greek, glaukos, denoting the grey color of its wings.

<i>Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America</i> 2004 book by Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson

Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America by Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson is a volume in the Helm Identification Guides series of bird identification books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thayer's gull</span> Subspecies of bird

Thayer's gull is a subspecies of the Iceland gull. It is a large gull native to North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heuglin's gull</span> Subspecies of bird

Heuglin's gull or the Siberian gull, is a seabird in the genus Larus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenian gull</span> Species of bird

The Armenian gull is a large gull found in the Caucasus and the Middle East. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the European herring gull, but is now generally considered to be a separate species, although BirdLife International lumps it with the yellow-legged gull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vega gull</span> Species of bird

The Vega gull, East Siberian gull, or East Siberian herring gull is a large gull of the herring gull/lesser black-backed gull complex which breeds in Northeast Asia. Its classification is still controversial and uncertain. It is variously treated as a separate species, as a subspecies of the American herring gull or included with both the American herring gull and European herring gull in L. argentatus. The Mongolian gull, Larus mongolicus, was formerly regarded as a subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American herring gull</span> Species of bird

The American herring gull or Smithsonian gull is a large gull that breeds in North America, where it is treated by the American Ornithological Society as a subspecies of herring gull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-billed gull</span> Gull species native to western North America

The short-billed gull is a medium-sized species of gull that breeds in northwestern North America. In North America, it was previously known as the mew gull, when it was considered conspecific with the palearctic common gull. Most authorities, including the American Ornithological Society in 2021, have split the two populations as distinct species.