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 Breeding-plumaged adult of the subspecies L. a. argenteus on Heligoland
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| Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763, Denmark |
The Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, is a large gull (up to 26 inches or 66 cm long) and "is the most abundant and best known of all gulls along the shores of Asia. Erik Pontoppidan was a Danish author Bishop, historian and antiquary born at Aarhus (on the eastern shore of Jutland) August Year 1763 ( MDCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Gulls (often informally Seagulls) are birds in the family Laridae western Europe, and North America. "[1] It breeds across North America, Europe and Asia. Some Herring Gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate further south in winter, but many are permanent residents, e. Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of Birds Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability g. those on the lower Great Lakes, on the east coast of North America or at the North Sea shores. The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. Herring Gulls are also abundant around inland garbage dumps, and some have even adapted to life in inland cities.
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Taxonomy
The taxonomy of the Herring Gull / Lesser Black-backed Gull complex is very complicated, different authorities recognising between two and eight species. The Lesser Black-backed Gull ( Larus fuscus) is a large Gull which breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe.
This group has a ring distribution around the northern hemisphere. In Biology, a ring species is a connected series of neighboring populations that can interbreed with relatively closely related populations but for which there exist at least 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 Association of European Rarities Committees recognises six species:
- 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
Subspecies
- L. The Association of European Rarities Committees is a co-ordinating and liaison body for the Bird Rarities committees of Europe and other nearby countries The American Herring Gull, Larus smithsonianus, is a large Gull, similar to Larus argentatus, except that immature birds tend to be darker and Caspian Gull is a name applied to the Gull Taxon Larus (argentatus cachinnans, a member of the Herring Gull / Lesser Black-backed The Yellow-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis) is a large Gull of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Vega Gull redirects here For the aircraft see Percival Vega Gull The East Siberian Gull, Larus vegae, is a large Gull The Armenian Gull ( Larus armenicus) is a large Gull found in the Caucasus and Middle East. a. argentatus, the nominate form, breeds in Scandinavia and north-west Russia. Northern and eastern populations migrate south-west in winter. It is a large, bulky gull with extensive white in the wingtips.
- L. a. argenteus breeds in Western Europe in Iceland, the Faroes, Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Many birds are resident while others make short-distance migratory journeys. It is smaller than L. a. argentatus with more black and less white in the wingtips and paler upperparts.
The two following taxa are classified as subspecies of Larus argentatus by some authorities such as the American Ornithologists' Union and Handbook of the Birds of the World. A taxon (plural taxa) or taxonomic unit, is a name designating an organism or a group of Organisms In Biological nomenclature according to In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The American Ornithologists' Union ( AOU) an ornithological organization in the USA. HBW_-_Taxonomygif|right|frame|(400 × 258 pixels file size38KBMIME typeimage/gif|HBW-Page on Taxonomy]]HBW-accounts_8-082-083_copia Others such as the Association of European Rarities Committees and British Ornithologists' Union now regard them as one or two separate species. The Association of European Rarities Committees is a co-ordinating and liaison body for the Bird Rarities committees of Europe and other nearby countries BOU may also stand for Bank of Uganda, the central bank of Uganda The British Ornithologists' Union ( BOU) aims to encourage [2][3]
- L. (a. ) smithsonianus, American Herring Gull, breeds in Alaska, Canada and the north-east United States. The American Herring Gull, Larus smithsonianus, is a large Gull, similar to Larus argentatus, except that immature birds tend to be darker and Many birds migrate southwards in winter, reaching as far as Central America and the West Indies. Immature birds tend to be darker and more uniformly brown than European Herring Gulls and have a dark tail.
- L. (a. ) vegae, Vega Gull, breeds in north-east Siberia. Vega Gull redirects here For the aircraft see Percival Vega Gull The East Siberian Gull, Larus vegae, is a large Gull It winters in Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan.
Several other gulls have been included in this species in the past but are now normally considered separate, e. g. Yellow-legged Gull (L. The Yellow-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis) is a large Gull of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. michahellis), Caspian Gull (L. Caspian Gull is a name applied to the Gull Taxon Larus (argentatus cachinnans, a member of the Herring Gull / Lesser Black-backed cachinnans), Armenian Gull (L. The Armenian Gull ( Larus armenicus) is a large Gull found in the Caucasus and Middle East. armenicus) and Heuglin's Gull (L. Heuglin's Gull or Siberian Gull, Larus heuglini, is a Seabird in the genus Larus. heuglini).
Description
The average Herring Gull is 55-66 cm (22-26 inches) long with a wingspan of 138-150 cm. Adults in breeding plumage have a grey back and upperwings and white head and underparts. 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 at all ages but can be yellowish, particularly in the Baltic population which was formerly regarded as a separate subspecies "L. a. omissus". Non-breeding adults have brown streaks on the head and neck. Male and female plumage is identical at all stages of development, however adult males are often larger. [4]
Juvenile and first-winter birds are mainly brown with darker streaks and have a dark bill and eyes. A juvenile is an individual Organism that has not yet reached its Adult form Sexual maturity or size Second-winter birds have a whiter head and underparts with less streaking and the back is grey. Third-winter individuals are similar to adults but retain some of the features of immature birds such as brown feathers in the wings and dark markings on the bill.
Similar species
Adult Herring Gulls are similar to Ring-billed Gulls but are much larger, have pinkish legs, and a much thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. The Ring-billed Gull ( Larus delawarensis) is a medium-sized Gull. First-winter Herring Gulls are much browner, but second and third-winter birds can be confusing since soft part colors are variable and third-year Herring Gull often show a ring around the bill. Such birds are most easily distinguished by the larger size and larger bill of Herring Gull.
Voice
The loud laughing call is well-known in the northern hemisphere. The Herring Gull also has a yelping alarm call and a low barking anxiety call.
Behaviour
Herring Gull flocks have a loose pecking order, based on size, aggressiveness and physical strength. Pecking Order is a Card game, where players try to claim the best feeding spots in the jungle by playing their birds on the perches and determining who's stronger Communication between these birds is complex and highly-developed - employing both calls and body language. Two identical vocalizations can have very different (sometimes opposite) meanings, for example - depending on the positionings of the head, body, wings and tail relative to each other and the ground in the calling gull.
Unlike many flocking birds, Herring Gulls do not engage in social grooming and keep physical contact between individuals to a minimum. In Social animals and humans social grooming or allogrooming is an activity in which individuals in a group clean or maintain each other's body or appearance Outside of the male/female and parent/chick relationship, each Herring Gull attempts to maintain a respectful 'safe distance' from others of its kind. Any breach of this results in fighting, though severe injuries are seldom inflicted. The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979.
Herring Gulls are known to be capable of seeing ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays [5]
Parasites of Herring gulls include the fluke Microphallus piriformes. Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. The Trematoda is a class within the phylum Platyhelminthes that contains two groups of parasitic Worms commonly referred to as flukes Microphallus piriformes Galaktionov 1983 is a parasitic Trematode (fluke with two hosts the Herring gull and the Rough periwinkle
Diet
These are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and will scavenge on rubbish tips and elsewhere, as well as seeking suitable small prey in fields or on the coast, or robbing plovers or lapwings of their catches. Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading Birds belonging to the Subfamily Charadriinae. Vanellinae are a Subfamily of medium-sized wading Birds belonging to the family Charadriidae, which also includes the Plovers Despite their name, they have no special preference for herrings. Herring are small Oily fish of the genus Clupea found in the shallow temperate waters of the North Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, the North
Reproduction
Two to four eggs, usually three, are laid on the ground or cliff ledges in colonies, and are defended vigorously by this large gull. The eggs are a dark blotched, olive color. They are incubated for 28-30 days. Incubation is the process by which Birds hatch their eggs, and to the development of the Embryo within the egg
Juveniles use their beaks to "knock" on the red spot on the beaks of adults to indicate hunger. Parents typically disgorge food for their offspring when they are "knocked". [6] The young birds are able to fly 35-40 days after hatching.
Gallery
 Herring Gull on her nest |
 Fledgling |
 A sub-adult |
 Juvenile |
 Adult |
 In flight |
 Herring Gull preening |
 Tearing open a bin bag |
 A flock of fledglings |
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 Drinking |
References
- ^ Gilliard, E. A garbage bag, trash bag, refuse sack, can liner ( American English) or bin bag, swag sack, bin liner ( British This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Thomas. (1958). Living Birds of the World, p. 174. Doubleday & Company, New York.
- ^ AERC TAC (2003) AERC TAC's Taxonomic Recommendations. Accessed 05/05/2008.
- ^ Sangster, George et al. (2007) Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: Fourth report, Ibis, 149: 863-857. Ibis, subtitled "the International Journal of Avian Science" is the peer-reviewed Scientific journal of the British Ornithologists' Union
- ^ http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Herring_Gull.html
- ^ Marcus, Adam (2006). Feather Colors: What Birds See. Birder's World Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls,
- ^ http://web1.audubon.org/waterbirds/species.php?speciesCode=hergul&tab=natHistory
- AERC TAC's Taxonomic Recommendations
- BirdLife International (2004). Larus argentatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Harris, Alan; Tucker, Laurel & Vinicombe, Keith (1994) The Macmillan Field Guide to Bird Identification, Macmillan, London.
- Seabirds by Harrison, ISBN 0-7470-1410-8
- Snow, D. W. & Perrins, C. M. (1998) Birds of the Western Palearctic: Concise Edition Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
External links
- Herring Gull Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Herring Gull Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Herring Gull - Larus argentatus - USGS Patuxent BIrd Identification InfoCenter
- Herring Gull by John Audubon
- Herring Gull videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Herring gull census in the U.K. with some background information.
- Herring gull fact sheet.
- An explanation of why there is a statue of a gull in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Map of Herring Gull distribution in summer and winter in Europe
- For numerous photos and information on Herring Gulls
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