Page 212 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae Species Larus (cachinnans) michahellis
Yellow-legged Gull vivid yellow
bill with large
red spot
sharply defined white head
wingtips with
extensive black
and white blackish
bill
mid-grey
back
IMMATURE
rust-brown
body (1ST WINTER)

long black wingtips,
white spots wear
ADULT off in summer

pale to deep
IN FLIGHT yellow legs ADULT
ntil recently, this was considered a race of
Uthe Herring Gull, and its exact status is still
controversial. It is essentially the Mediterranean
replacement of the more northerly Herring Gull,
with darker races on the Atlantic islands (Canaries,
Azores, and Madeira) and different birds, perhaps of a different
species again, to the east. In Asia, the situation is even more complex. FLIGHT: strong, easy, elegant, with powerful,
Mediterranean Yellow-legged Gulls are big, handsome birds, with an shallow wingbeats.
obvious close relationship to the typical seaside Herring BOLD PATTERN
Gull of northwest Europe.They now breed side-by- The adult Yellow-legged Gull has
side in a few places, without hybridizing. a striking contrast between the
VOICE Deeper than extensive black wingtip and the
Herring Gull’s, more like SUBSPECIES rest of the underwing.
Lesser Black-backed Gull’s. L. cachinnans cachinnans
NESTING Pile of grass (rare N Europe) winter
on ground, cliff ledge, or
building; 2 or 3 eggs; paler back
1 brood; May.
FEEDING Takes aquatic
invertebrates, molluscs, longer, paler
fish, and offal, from water yellow legs
or ground.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
In summer, breeds in S Europe,
HERRING GULL HERRING GULL immature, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL chiefly on rocky islands and off-
see p.209 similar to immature; less sharply defined shore stacks but often scavenges
see p.209 wingtips; see p.211
around docks and towns. In late
darker
back summer/autumn, moves north;
frequent in Low Countries and
less crisp SE England, on tips and beaches.
pink legs markings
on wings Seen in the UK
and tail
J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 55–65cm (22–26in) Wingspan 1.3–1.5m (4 1 ⁄4–5ft) Weight 750–1200g (27–43oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure†
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