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Species Description
The Herring Gull is the most abundant gull in the northern hemisphere, breeding across North America, western Europe and north Asia. It is an opportunistic omnivore, hunting for echinoderms and crustaceans by surface and plunge diving (though it cannot dive deeply because of its natural buoyancy); it has been known to drop shellfish onto hard surfaces to break open the shells. However, though it will actively capture prey, refuse comprises a large part of the Herring Gull’s diet, and high instances of kleptoparasitism occur within communities (and between the Herring Gull and other birds). The Herring Gull is a common visitor to inland garbage dumps and has adapted to urban life; although it is generally migratory, the range of food sources provided by human activity allows some populations to remain resident. The Herring Gull is highly social, and a loose hierarchy – defined by size, strength and aggressiveness exists within groups.
