European Herring Gull vs American Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

How to recognise a European herring gull?

General appearance

The European herring gull is a large gull, ranging in length from 55-67cm with a wingspan of 140-150cm. Notably, it has a white body with a light grey back and wings. The wingtips are black with white 'mirrors'. One significant feature is its bill, which is yellow with a distinctive red spot.

Male vs female

Male and female European herring gulls are very similar in appearance, making it challenging to distinguish between the two. Both genders share the same coloration and size, without any marked sexual dimorphism.

Juvenile

Juvenile European herring gulls are much different in appearance compared to adults. They possess a mottled brown coloration which gradually fades to the adult plumage over 4 years. Their bills are dark, turning yellow as they mature. The tail has a black band, which disappears with age.

Size

21.7 - 26.4 in/21.2 - 55.7 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The European herring gull predominantly inhabits coastal areas in Western Europe. It prefers marine environments such as rocky or sandy coasts.

Additional range

Surprisingly, it can also thrive in urban areas, making nests on buildings.

Range Map

What do European herring gulls like to eat?

Natural diet

European herring gulls have a varied diet consisting primarily of fish, crabs, and squid. They also consume insects, worms, and small rodents. These gulls are known to be opportunistic feeders, scavenging for carrion, discarded fish offal, and occasionally feeding on eggs and chicks of other bird species. Their adaptability to different food sources allows them to thrive in diverse habitats, from coastal areas to urban environments.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, European herring gulls may consume bread, kitchen scraps, and leftover pet food. They are not typical feeder visitors but can be drawn by easily accessible food. These birds are not finicky eaters and will take advantage of any readily available food supply, often outcompeting smaller birds due to their size and aggressive behavior.

What does a European herring gull sound like?

The European herring gull has a wide variety of vocalizations, with its most iconic being a loud, raucous, laughter-like call. This is typically used by adults to signal aggression or alert others of danger. Other vocalizations include shorter calls for communication within the colony and complex songs used during courtship or territory establishment. Their vocal range varies with pitch, tone, and frequency allowing for different bird interactions. These gulls have a harsh, grating call, and also produce soft, mewing sounds.

Call

Audio by Joost van Bruggen

/ CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Also known as: Smithsonian Gull

How to recognise a American herring gull?

General appearance

The American herring gull is a large gull species, displaying a distinctive silver-gray back and wings with black wingtips adorned with white spots. It features a white head, neck, and underparts, with a robust yellow bill marked by a red spot on the lower mandible. Its legs are generally pink, contributing to its recognizable silhouette.

Male vs female

There is minimal sexual dimorphism in American herring gulls. Males are slightly larger compared to females, although both sexes share similar plumage, making it challenging to differentiate them based solely on appearance without measuring body size.

Juvenile

Juvenile herring gulls differ significantly from adults, exhibiting mottled brown plumage with heavily streaked heads and bodies. They have dark bills and eyes, and their legs may appear more on the brownish side. Over the course of four years, they progressively attain adult plumage, with gradual changes in coloration.

Size

20.9 - 25.6 in/21.2 - 58.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The American Herring Gull typically occupies coastal shorelines, beaches, and refuse dumps. Large open spaces near water are commonly used as winter hangouts.

Additional range

Their range covers the north Atlantic Coast, the Great Lakes, and the southern Alaskan coast. Elsewhere, mainly nonbreeding adults and immature gulls are found.

Range Map

What do American herring gulls like to eat?

Natural diet

American Herring Gulls are versatile and opportunistic feeders with diverse natural diets. They prey on marine invertebrates, including mussels, crabs, sea urchins, and crayfish along rocky shores. On mudflats, they consume worms, small clams, and mussels. In open water, they follow large predators and fishing boats to scavenge small fish, squid, and zooplankton. On land, especially in newly plowed fields, they eat earthworms and other invertebrates. Additionally, they are known to prey on insects, smaller seabirds, and even the adults, young, and eggs of other gulls. Gulls also scavenge on fish, carrion, and human trash. Individual gulls often specialize in a specific type of food.

Bird feeders

American Herring Gulls typically do not visit bird feeders as their natural food sources are varied and abundant in their native habitats. Their diet primarily consists of marine invertebrates and food obtained through scavenging, which aligns more with natural foraging behaviors than with visiting human-provided feeders.

What does a American herring gull sound like?

The American Herring Gull, often just called a seagull, has a variety of vocalizations. Its typical call is a harsh, raucous "ha-ha-ha-haaaah" sound. They often emit long, repeated cries when flying and squawking calls when threatened. In the mating season, the gulls perform "long-call" displays which are composed of guttural sounds followed by high-pitched notes. Herring Gulls don't have traditional "songs" like some birds, but their call repertoire is still diverse and complex.

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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European Herring Gull

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American Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

General appearance

The European herring gull is a large gull, ranging in length from 55-67cm with a wingspan of 140-150cm. Notably, it has a white body with a light grey back and wings. The wingtips are black with white 'mirrors'. One significant feature is its bill, which is yellow with a distinctive red spot.

Male vs female

Male and female European herring gulls are very similar in appearance, making it challenging to distinguish between the two. Both genders share the same coloration and size, without any marked sexual dimorphism.

Juvenile

Juvenile European herring gulls are much different in appearance compared to adults. They possess a mottled brown coloration which gradually fades to the adult plumage over 4 years. Their bills are dark, turning yellow as they mature. The tail has a black band, which disappears with age.

Size

21.7 - 26.4 in/21.2 - 55.7 oz

There's more to learn about European Herring Gull

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American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Also known as: Smithsonian Gull

General appearance

The American herring gull is a large gull species, displaying a distinctive silver-gray back and wings with black wingtips adorned with white spots. It features a white head, neck, and underparts, with a robust yellow bill marked by a red spot on the lower mandible. Its legs are generally pink, contributing to its recognizable silhouette.

Male vs female

There is minimal sexual dimorphism in American herring gulls. Males are slightly larger compared to females, although both sexes share similar plumage, making it challenging to differentiate them based solely on appearance without measuring body size.

Juvenile

Juvenile herring gulls differ significantly from adults, exhibiting mottled brown plumage with heavily streaked heads and bodies. They have dark bills and eyes, and their legs may appear more on the brownish side. Over the course of four years, they progressively attain adult plumage, with gradual changes in coloration.

Size

20.9 - 25.6 in/21.2 - 58.2 oz

There's more to learn about American Herring Gull

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How to tell the European Herring Gull from the American Herring Gull

Visual differences

The European Herring Gull (21.6-26.4 inches) and American Herring Gull (20.9-25.6 inches) are similar in size. Both have white bodies with gray wings and black wingtips, though the European has lighter gray wings. The beaks are yellow with a red spot, but the American has more robust pink legs. Juveniles of both species appear mottled brown; however, the American's juvenile legs are more brownish. Plumage differences are subtle, with structural differences in leg color and wing shade being the most visually distinctive features.

Key differences and behavior

The European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) and American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) exhibit distinct behavioral traits. Both are adaptable, opportunistic feeders engaging in scavenging, but the European is more inclined to urban settings, while the American primarily frequents coastal habitats. European Herring Gulls display sociable and hierarchical flock behaviors with pronounced communication through body language and vocalizations. In contrast, American Gulls focus on a more varied diet, often specializing in a particular food source. Their breeding habits share similarities in nest construction and shared incubation, but European pairs are noted for their strong bonds and synchronized flight displays. Despite similarities in size and appearance, their adaptability to different environments and nuances in social behavior aid identification.

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European Herring Gull or American Herring Gull?

European Herring Gull

How to recognise a European herring gull?

Habitat

What do European herring gulls like to eat?

What does a European herring gull sound like?

Call

There's more to learn about European Herring Gull

American Herring Gull

How to recognise a American herring gull?

Habitat

What do American herring gulls like to eat?

What does a American herring gull sound like?

Call

There's more to learn about American Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

There's more to learn about European Herring Gull

American Herring Gull

There's more to learn about American Herring Gull

How to tell the European Herring Gull from the American Herring Gull

Visual differences

Key differences and behavior

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