Seagull Facts

Seagull Profile

The word seagull is the name used to describe over 40 different species of birds called gulls; which belong to the family Laridae. ¹

These birds are commonly found on coastlines across the globe and are as adept at flying as they are on the water. In general, seagulls are robust, stocky birds with strong, hooked bills, long wings and short, bare legs.

Most species of gull are mainly white with light grey backs, black tipped wings and tail feathers and pink or yellow legs. However some species have black heads and black legs while others are all-white or mottled grey.  ²

Gulls are found throughout the world and are almost always tied to coastlines. These birds are highly adaptable and hardy animals with species such as the kelp gull occupying the freezing waters of the Antarctic while the grey gull breeds in the arid Atacama desert in Chile.

Most gull species tend to nest on isolated sand dunes, islands and cliffs but due to their adaptable nature, some have taken to nesting on buildings, boats and man-made structures further inland. However 2 species of the gull family, the kittiwakes, spend most of their lives on the open ocean, away from the coast and nest almost exclusively on inaccessible cliff edges. ³

Although their diet is made up primarily of fish, gulls are hugely omnivorous and will feed on a vast variety of food types.

As well as scavenging on carrion or food left by people, they will eat plants, seeds, fruit and any edible insects that they come upon. When nesting in high numbers, gulls will even steal and eat eggs from other gulls as well as killing and eating gull and other species’ chicks.

Some species such as the great black-backed gull actively hunt other adult birds as well as rabbits and rodents, using their size and sheer aggression to subdue their prey before tearing pieces of meat off with their strong bills.

Seagulls and especially those found close to human habitation have gained a notorious reputation for being aggressive scavengers and are often persecuted because of this.

As they will eat almost anything edible, gulls prosper where humans discard food or leave food unattended and they are often found near waste dumps, filtering through rubbish for palatable morsels.

This association with people has resulted in gulls becoming more aggressive in attempts to steal food, as this requires far less effort and energy than actively hunting or searching for food elsewhere. When not tempted by abundant food waste, gulls will generally shy away from humans and find their food along more remote sections of the coastline.  ⁴

Seagull Facts Overview

Despite most gull species looking relatively similar, there is a great disparity in size and behaviour across the different species. The largest of the gulls, the great black-backed gull, has a wingspan over 1.5m and a body length of well over 70cm. ⁵

These huge birds are one of the most carnivorous of the gull species and rely on their size to overpower smaller birds, either to steal their food or simply to kill and eat them. Another species, the Heermann’s gull, specialises in kleptoparasitism; stealing food from other animals.

They will watch and follow feeding brown pelicans before swooping in and mobbing their victim and stealing fish the pelican spills from its’ throat pouch. ⁶

Not all gull species are aggressive pirates though and many of the smaller species rely on their excellent eyesight and strong flight to find their own food. The smallest gull species at around 25cm length and weighing only 100g is the little gull.

These dainty gulls find most of their food on the surface of the water and will even catch insects in flight. On the other hand, the lava gull of the Galápagos Islands feeds on newly hatched reptiles such as iguanas but will also steal from fisherman’s nets as well as eating the afterbirth from sea lions.

Another small gull, the ivory gull, lives in the high Artic and unlike other gulls, their feathers are all completely white. Ivory gulls feed around ice floats, picking off invertebrates and fish, although they also scavenge and will even feed on polar bear scat.

Another unusual gull is the Bonaparte’s gull of North America. During the breeding season, adults have a completely black head that resembles a hood. They are excellent fliers and will often soar far inland in search of food.

These gulls can travel in flocks when not breeding and groups of them will follow farm tractors to pick up disturbed worms and insects. Also possessing a black head is the swallow-tailed gull found along equatorial coastlines.

These distinctive gulls have dark black heads, bright red rings around their eyes and scarlet coloured legs during the breeding season. Seldom seen from land, swallow-tailed gulls feed mostly on squid and fish which unusually for gulls, are caught during the night.

These diverse and interesting birds have proven their adaptability by populating all continents and surviving on an assortment of different food types. Perhaps the gulls greatest asset is a high level of intelligence that leads to complex problem solving and superb resourcefulness.

Gulls, especially the larger species, have been observed throwing molluscs and crustaceans onto rocks to access the meat inside; baiting fish with bread and worms and also working in groups to push fish shoals together or mob larger fish-eating birds.

Some species have even moved into cities where they frequent park ponds to catch fish or steal food from unsuspecting victims as well as utilising the tall buildings to nest in. ⁷

Interesting Seagull Facts

1. Most species of gull are monogamous

Gulls generally mate for life and both parents help to build the nest and feed and care for the chicks. Gulls will often return to the same nest site each year.

2. Some gulls steal milk from elephant seals

Western gulls have been observed stealing milk directly from nursing elephant seal mothers.

3. Seagulls can drink sea water as well as fresh water

Gulls have glands near their eyes that filter salt out of their blood when they drink seawater. The excess salty water drips out down their beaks.

4. Gulls are highly intelligent    

Although not as intelligent as crows, gulls can bait fish using pieces of food and will even work in teams to ensure they get a decent meal.

5. They come in many different sizes

Great black-backed gulls are about the size of a large duck whereas the little gull is similar in size to a large pigeon. 

6. Seagulls are very social birds

Most gull species roost and nest together. A group of gulls is known as a colony.

7. Gull droppings are sometimes used as a fertiliser  

Similar to bats, gull droppings are called guano and contain high levels of nitrogen which makes for an excellent plant fertiliser.

8. They hunt, scavenge and steal for their food

Some gull species almost exclusively hunt fish and other marine animals while others are far more generalist and will also scavenge or steal from humans and other animals.

9. Gulls have an excellent sense of smell

Finding food in remote oceans and seas can be difficult but luckily gulls can smell carrion from several kilometres away.

10. They are a symbol of freedom, endurance and peace in many cultures  

Native Americans revered seagulls for their carefree attitude and perseverance when foraging for food.

11. Explorers relied on gulls to navigate their way in unknown regions  

As they rarely venture too far from the coast, explorers would know the direction and possible distance to the nearest coastline when they saw gulls.

12. Many species have a red spot on the underside of their bill

When gull chicks see the red spot on an adult gull’s bill, they peck at it and the parent then regurgitates food for the chick to eat.

Seagull Fact-File Summary

Scientific Classification

1. “Gulls and terns”, RSPB.
2. Sy Montgomery (1999), “gull”, Britannica.
3. “California Gull”, National Geographic.
4. Author Name (Year), “Larus gulls”, Animal Diversity Web.
5. “How to identify gulls”, Wildlife Trusts.
6. K.A. Lato, “Closely related gull species show contrasting foraging strategies in an urban environment”, Scientific Reports.
7. “Gulls and terns”, The Cornell Lab.