Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
These birds are incredible migrants; some individuals tagged in the UK have been tracked flying all the way to West Africa for the winter.
- Scientific name
- Larus fuscus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Charadriiformes › Laridae › Larus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Coastal cliffs, rocky islands, estuaries, salt marshes, and urban environments.
- Diet
- Omnivorous: primarily fish, insects, crustaceans, small mammals, eggs, and organic waste.
- Range
- Europe, North America, Africa, Middle East
- Size
- Length 51-64 cm, Wingspan 124-150 cm
- Lifespan
- 15-25 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Marine plastic pollution, overfishing of natural prey stocks, and avian influenza.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally harmless to humans but can be highly defensive near nesting sites. Maintain a distance of at least 5 meters. Do not feed them, as this encourages aggressive begging behavior. If a gull swoops at you, hold an object like an umbrella or bag above your head and calmly exit the area.
The lesser black-backed gull ( Larus fuscus ) is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. It is a regular winter visitor to the east coast of North America, probably from the breeding population in Iceland.
Photo: Cody Delano, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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