Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Genus · Large White-headed Gulls Family · Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
Observation tips Difficulty: EASY
Best time
🕒 Any
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Best months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Observation habitat
HarborsMarineOffshore waters

Look for pink legs and sheer size. It is much larger than the Lesser Black-backed Gull, and has pale legs compared to Lesser Black-backed Gull's yellow legs.

Great Black-backed Gull
Stats
Wingspan150–170 cm
Weight1200–2300 g
Length64–79 cm
Lifespan wild15–30 yrs
Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
Nesting
Nest typeScrape
Clutch size2–3 eggs
Incubation26–30 days
Breeding months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Regional Status (Europe)
LC
Least Concern (Europe)
IUCN Red List
MigrationPartial migratory
Social BehaviourColonial

Diet: Omnivore

🦅Birds
🦴Carrion
🦀Crustaceans
🐟Fish
🐭Mammals

Habitat

🌊 Marine⛰️ Mountains🏞️ River
✦ Fun Fact

Great Black-backed Gulls have an exceptionally wide gape, allowing them to swallow surprisingly large prey whole—they are even capable of consuming a rabbit or a small duck in one gulp.

About

The largest gull in the world, often called the 'king of the Atlantic'. It is a massive bird with a black back and a heavy yellow bill with a red spot. It has pale pinkish-white legs. As an apex predator of the shoreline, it dwarfs other gulls. It is primarily a coastal resident.

Behaviour

This gull is a powerful predator. It can kill birds as large as puffins and ducks. It is often solitary and dominates other scavengers at carcasses. Its call is a deep, barking 'ow-eck'. In flight, its wingspan is immense and its wingbeats are slow and deliberate.

Similar species

Lesser Black-backed Gull
🐦
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
European Herring Gull
🐦
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
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