Gulls and terns · Shorebirds
Great Black-backed Gull
Link copied.
Larus marinus
Link copied.
Voice
Call
Call
Alarm
How to recognize it
-
Length 64–79 cm
-
Adults with a white head and underparts, blackish-grey back and wings with white patches at the tips
-
Powerful yellow bill with a red spot underneath near the tip, pale pink legs
-
Deep, laughing call, "kaa-ga-ga"
About the species
A white head and body set off the Great Black-backed Gull’s blackish-grey back and wings. White patches at the wing tips show in flight, while pink legs and a yellow bill with a red spot near the tip add smaller touches of color. It is much larger than a Herring Gull, with a notably darker back.
Its call is a deep, laughing “kaa-ga-ga,” lower than the cries of most gulls. It catches fish and other prey, including nestlings and eggs, and will steal food from other gulls. Shellfish or eggs can be dropped onto rocks or firm ground to crack open.
Along coasts, it uses rocky and sandy shorelines, estuaries, and islands, but also visits lakes, wetlands, and rubbish dumps; some nest on building roofs. Fish are a main food, with crustaceans, insects, small mammals, scraps, and other prey filling out the menu. In southern parts of its range it usually stays year-round, while those breeding farther north move south for winter.
Did you know?
-
One cruise empties the cliffs
A Great Black-backed Gull merely cruising overhead is enough to trigger mass panic in a puffin colony — the entire flock drops from its perches in a dense, chaotic plunge.
Link copied.
Where to find
-
In cities during the breeding season, Great Black-backed Gulls may nest on rooftops and reuse a nest from the previous year.
-
Along rocky and sandy shores and at estuaries, watch for fishing at the water's surface.
-
A few move inland to large lakes and reservoirs — watch for fishing near the surface there.
-
At refuse dumps, including those far from the coast, look for scavenging among the waste.
