Larus canus

Common gull

Habitus (CC BY-SA 2.5) Andreas Trepte

Short Description

The common gull is mainly white with pale grey wings and back. The ends of its wings are black with white tips. Bill and legs are yellow. Overall, it has a more slender build compared with other gulls.

Features

Common gull

Larus canus
  • yellow bill

Rufe

Frommolt, CC BY-SA 3.0

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Similar species

European herring gull

Larus argentatus
The European herring gull is larger. It has a shorter bill with a red spot at its tip.

Black-headed gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus
The black-headed gull is smaller and has a brown head during the breeding season.
Paar mit 3 Jungvögeln (CC BY-SA 3.0) Wanderherr

In the city

Common gulls mainly live in coastal regions, along lakes and rivers. But they can occasionally also be found in inner cities. They are often also seen on rubbish dumps and jetties. There they feed on waste.

Particularly in winter, they enjoy being fed and eat left-over food.

Fun Facts

  • Common gulls often steal the prey of black-headed gulls.

  • Common gulls are migratory birds that can be seen in Germany from the middle of March to September. Over winter, they fly to southwestern Europe or even as far as tropical Africa.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
im Flug (CC0) Estormiz

Sources

Habitus , Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larus_canus_Common_Gull_in_Norway.jpg

Paar mit 3 Jungvögeln, Wanderherr, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M%C3%B6wenfamilie.JPG

im Flug, Estormiz, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larus_canus_canus_Oulu_20160716.jpg

Witt, K. & Steiof, K. (2013) Rote Liste und Liste der Brutvögel von Berlin, 3. version, 15.11.2013. : Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. (eds.) Berliner Ornithologischer Bericht, volume 23, Berlin: Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V., 1-23.

Page „Sturmmöwe“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 07.02.2016, 18:10 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sturmm%C3%B6we&oldid=151202006 (Accessed: 18.02.2016).

Ineichen, S., Klausnitzer, B. & Ruckstuhl, M. (2012) Stadtfauna. 600 Tierarten unserer Städte, Bern, Stuttgart und Wien: Haupt Verlag.