Herring Gull Images

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.

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