Gull
Larinae
Appearance
Gulls range significantly in size and weight. The smallest gulls typically weigh 120 grams, while the largest gulls — Great Black-Backed gulls — often weigh 1.75 kg. That's nearly 15 times as much! Gulls have long wings and legs and heavy bodies compared to most birds. Gulls also have tails, which are either rounded, wedged, or forked ends depending on the species. Their bills are also quite heavy, thick, and often slightly hooked.
Range & Habitat
Gulls are found throughout the world, across saltwater, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. In B.C., there are over 8 species of gulls. Gulls are migratory, which means they change locations between the summer and winter months.
Reciprocal Relationships
Gulls keep the same mate throughout their lifetime. Gulls also breed in colonies of up to a hundred thousand pairs and return to the same colony to breed in different years. Gulls are primarily eaten by larger birds of prey. For example, eagles and falcons frequently prey on common gulls. Foxes and other land predators may also hunt gulls.
More Information
If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.