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| - | [[Image:Herring_Gull.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Robert Scanlon]] | + | #REDIRECT [[Herring Gull]] |
| - | ;[[:Category:Larus|Larus]] argentatus | + | |
| - | ==Identification== | + | |
| - | 55-66cm. | + | |
| - | '''Breeding Adult''' | + | |
| - | *Grey back and upperwings | + | |
| - | *White head | + | |
| - | *White below | + | |
| - | *Black wing tips with white spots | + | |
| - | *Bare yellow eye ring | + | |
| - | *Yellow bill with red spot | + | |
| - | *Pink legs | + | |
| - | '''Non Breeding Adult''' | + | |
| - | *Brown streaks on head and neck | + | |
| - | '''Juvenile''' | + | |
| - | *Brown with dark streaks | + | |
| - | *Dark bill | + | |
| - | *Dark iris | + | |
| - | '''Second-winter bird''' | + | |
| - | *Whiter head and underparts | + | |
| - | *Grey back | + | |
| - | ==Distribution== | + | |
| - | Breeds widely across Northern [[Europe]] from [[Iceland]] and the [[Faroes]] to northern [[Scandinavia]] and Arctic [[Russia]], reaching south to the [[British Isles]] and [[France]] east to [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Belarus]] and the [[Baltic States]]. Has recently been recorded breeding in a [[Yellow-legged Gull]] colony in northern [[Spain]]. | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | Mainly resident or dispersive, except in north Norway, the Baltic, [[Finland]] and northern Russia where migratory.<br/> | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | Widespread in winter in Western and Central Europe.<br/> | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | Has bred on Svalbard and Bear Island. | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | Occasionally hybridises with other species, eg [[Lesser Black-backed Gull|Lesser Black-back]], and particularly [[Glaucous Gull]] in Iceland. | + | |
| - | ==Taxonomy== | + | |
| - | The most widespread and abundant of the larger gulls occurring in a number of races, and formerly including [[Yellow-legged Gull|Yellow-legged]], [[Armenian Gull|Armenian]] and related gulls which are now considered full species by most authorities.<br/> | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | The larger and paler North American form once considered race ''smithsonianus'' is now treated as a separate species, [[American Herring Gull]]. | + | |
| - | Subspecies: Various races occur in the Region and typical representatives of races are often identifiable in the field, however, much intergradation occurs. Nominate ''argentatus'' breeds in in Scandinavia and northern Russia and smaller and slightly paler ''argenteus'' in Iceland and Faroes, British Isles and western France east to Germany. | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | ==Habitat== | + | |
| - | Breeds mainly along rocky coastlines on cliffs, stacks and islands, in some areas on buildings or on flatter areas of shore and in others at inland lakes. Mainly coastal when not breeding but increasingly in urban areas and on farmland. Abundant at refuse-tips and around fishing harbours. | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | ==Behaviour== | + | |
| - | They are scavengers; they will also take eggs and young birds. | + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | They are colony nesters. 2-4 olive eggs are laid on the ground or cliff ledges and are incubated for 28-30 days. | + | |
| - | ====Vocalisation==== | + | |
| - | <flashmp3>Larus argentatus (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | + | |
| - | ''[[Media:Larus argentatus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | + | |
| - | ==References== | + | |
| - | Wikipedia | + | |
| - | ==External Links== | + | |
| - | {{GSearch|Larus+argentatus}} | + | |
| - | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Larus]][[Category:Bird Songs]] | + | |
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