Herring Gull

seabirds · coastal · clever

Beach and harbor birds. Herring gulls live near oceans and coasts on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and around Europe. You'll spot them hanging out at beaches, harbors, and seaside towns.

Bold food thieves. These gulls are super smart about finding meals and will grab food right out of your hands at the beach or raid picnic baskets. They even learned to open certain types of trash cans to find leftovers.

Loud and talkative. Herring gulls make lots of sounds, from harsh calls to laughing noises that sound almost like humans. They use their voices to talk to each other and warn other gulls to stay away from their territory.

Webbed feet swimmers. Like all gulls, herring gulls have webbed feet that make them great swimmers in the ocean. They dive and paddle to catch fish, which are their favorite foods.

Actually many species. Scientists used to think all herring gulls were one species, but now they know the name covers several different birds in the Larus family that look very similar.