European Herring Gull

Copyright: monacoeye • Zaandvoort, Holland, Feb 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: European Herring Gull
Latin: Larus argentatus
Other: Goéland argenté (Fr) • Gaviota argéntea (Es) • Gabbiano reale nordico (It) • Silbermöwe (De) • Gaivota-prateada, gaivota-argêntea (Pt) • Zilvermeeuw (Nl) • Gråtrut (Sv)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: NW Europe coast: Iceland, GB, Eire, Scandinavia, Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium
Similar: Yellow-legged Gull

These European Herring Gulls were seen as the winter sun was setting on the seaside town of Zaandvoort in Holland, during a stopover between flights. The Herring Gull is the most common gull in this area and in the UK.

Herring Gulls reach adult plumage (pictured above) after four years - white head and body, grey wings with black near tip and white at very tip, yellow bill with red spot, light yellow irises, pinkish legs. Juveniles have mottled dark brown plumage, with black bills and eyes. The lighter and yellower the bill, the closer the bird is to adulthood.

Below, sub-adult European Herring Gulls, February, Holland.

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