American Herring Gull Images, Facts and Information:
Larus smithsonianus used to be Larus argentatus
- American Herring Gulls are large sized gulls that have hefty yellow bills, pink legs with white heads and underparts with medium gray backs.
- They have yellow to orange eye rings, pale eyes, yellow gapes and their bills have a red spot with a black smudge near the top of the on the lower mandible. It takes several years for American Herring Gulls to obtain their adult plumage.
- American Herring Gulls are found throughout North America during the breeding season, winter and in migration. They breed in the northeastern U.S, Alaska and Canada.
- They are opportunistic feeders and they will eat just about any thing they can snatch or catch including fish, small mammals, insects, garbage, fruit, the young of other birds, eggs and marine invertebrates. They readily snatch food from other birds.
- American Herring Gulls lay between 1 to 3 eggs which take 31 to 32 days to hatch. Both parents incubate.
- A group of gulls can be called a “squabble”, “flotilla”, “screech” and “scavenging” of gulls.
- American Herring Gulls can live up to 35 years.
I hope you enjoy viewing my American Herring Gull photos.
Winter adult American Herring Gull portrait
Title: Winter adult American Herring Gull portrait
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/28/2018
Winter American Herring Gull profile portrait
Title: Winter American Herring Gull profile portrait
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/28/2018
American Herring Gull in morning light
Title: American Herring Gull in morning light
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/16/2018
American Herring Gulls at Farmington Bay
Title: American Herring Gulls at Farmington Bay
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/11/2018
American Herring Gull standing on a dead carp
Title: American Herring Gull standing on a dead carp
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/11/2018
American Herring Gull walking in mud
Title: American Herring Gull walking in mud
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/11/2018
American Herring Gull flying over Bear River MBR
Title: American Herring Gull flying over Bear River MBR
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 1/26/2016
Winter American Herring Gull in Utah
Title: Winter American Herring Gull in Utah
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 1/26/2016
Immature American Herring Gull in flight over a marsh
Title: Immature American Herring Gull in flight over a marsh
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 1/26/2016
American Herring Gull in the snow
Title: American Herring Gull in the snow
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 2/11/2010
Royal Tern with prey being chased by immature Laughing and American Herring Gulls
Title: Royal Tern with prey being chased by immature Laughing and American Herring Gulls
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/24/2009
American Herring and Laughing Gulls and a Royal Tern
Title: American Herring and Laughing Gulls and a Royal Tern
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/24/2009
Molting American Herring Gull
Title: Molting American Herring Gull
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/28/2009
American Herring Gull lift off
Title: American Herring Gull lift off
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/28/2009
1st summer American Herring Gull
Title: 1st summer American Herring Gull
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/28/2009
Adult American Herring Gull in breeding plumage in Florida
Title: Adult American Herring Gull in breeding plumage in Florida
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/6/2009
Adult American Herring Gull in breeding plumage
Title: Adult American Herring Gull in breeding plumage
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/6/2009
Young American Herring Gull preening just after sunrise
Title: Young American Herring Gull preening just after sunrise
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 2/13/2009
American Herring Gull in early morning light
Title: American Herring Gull in early morning light
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 2/13/2009
First light and an American Herring Gull
Title: First light and an American Herring Gull
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 2/13/2009