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Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus Larus and may refer to:
European herring gull, Larus argentatus
American herring gull, Larus smithsonianus
Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans
Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis
East Siberian gull, Larus vegae
Armenian gull, Larus armenicus

This gull is the European Herring Gull Larus argentatus. It is a large gull up to 26 in long. One of the best known of all gulls along the shores of western Europe, it was once abundant. It breeds across Northern Europe, Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. See range map.

The taxonomy of the herring gull / lesser black-backed gull complex is very complicated, different authorities recognizing between two and eight species.

This group has a ring distribution around the Northern Hemisphere. Differences between adjacent forms in this ring are fairly small, but by the time the circuit is completed, the end members, herring gull and lesser black-backed gull, are clearly different species. The terminal forms don't interbreed even though they coexist in the same localities.

The male European herring gull is 24–26 in long and weighs 2.315–3.362 lb, while the female is 22–24 in and weighs 1.57–2.43 lb. The wingspan can range from 49 to 61 in). Adults in breeding plumage have a grey back and upper wings and white head and under parts. The wingtips are black with white spots known as "mirrors". The bill is yellow with a red spot and there is a ring of bare yellow skin around the pale eye. The legs are normally pink.

The loud laughing call is well known in the Northern Hemisphere, and is often seen as a symbol of the seaside in countries such as the United Kingdom. The European herring gull also has a yelping alarm call and a low barking anxiety call.

European herring gull chicks and fledglings emit a distinctive, repetitive high-pitched 'peep', accompanied by a head-flicking gesture when begging for food from, or calling to their parents. It should also be noted that adult gulls in urban areas will also exhibit this behavior when fed by humans.

There's little doubt that the gull's screaming in fact is a kind of communication. Or in other words "a language", of course limited to the present tense, but it still obviously include rather complex matters, like "follow me". The bird must be considered as social bird that dislike being alone, and fights mainly occur over food or in order to protect their eggs and chicks. If 3-4 birds discover a piece of food, the first one to land by the food piece often fold their wings out (together with a sound) in order to proclaim that this piece of food is mine. This is very often opposed by another gull, and during a short fight a third bird may very well grab the piece of food that the two other birds argue about ! However, if much food is found especially at a "dangerous location" (like in a backyard of 4-5 floor buildings) the bird who discovered the food then shouts on close-by gulls - and the gulls (also of other species) gather. The conclusion is that if there is more food than one bird can manage to eat at one time, the birds are helping each other.

The herring gull can only catch slow creatures, like small crabs, which they often drop from some altitude in order to get them opened. The birds haven't got any real power in its jaws while biting, but it may "pick" with better strength. It has long been believed that the European herring gull has extremely keen vision in daylight and a night vision ability that is equal or superior to that of humans - however it is now known that this species is also capable of seeing ultraviolet light. The European herring gull also appears to have excellent hearing and a sense of taste that is particularly responsive to salt and acidity.

European herring gulls may be observed rhythmically drumming their feet upon the ground for prolonged periods of time in a behavior that superficially resembles Irish step dancing. This is for the purpose of creating vibrations in the soil, driving earthworms to the surface, which are then consumed by the gull. It is believed that these vibrations mimic those of digging moles, eliciting a surface escape behavior from the earthworm, beneficial in encounters with this particular predator, which the European herring gull then exploits to its own benefit in a similar manner to human worm charmers.

Like most gulls, European herring gulls are long lived, with a maximum age of 49 years recorded.

Wikepedia

These photos were taken in Norway.

European Herring Gull

Herring Gull Norway 0138

Herring Gull Norway 4832

range European Herring Gull