Resources Recent bird sightings Photographs Notes: A - Z Index Notes: Taxonomic Index Outer Hebrides Checklist Useful local contacts Archived Sightings Wildlife Garden Wildlife Forum Bird ringing in Lewis

Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Ring-billed Gull

Adult Ring-billed Gull in summer plumage

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

 

Photography © Brian Rabbitts
Balranald Nature Reserve - North Uist - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
March 19th, 2007

 

Our Ring-billed Gull photographs

Ring-billed Gull summer adult with Common Gull	Ring-billed Gull summer adult

 

• Ring-billed Gull
• Larus delawarensis
• UK: Scarce visitor, 74 annual records BTO (Most common gull in North America)
• WI: Scarce (very small numbers recorded in most years) TBC
• Breeds: Colonies nest on ground by rivers, lakes & coast. Bird returns to same nest site each year. North America, Canada
• Winters: South to North America & the Great Lakes (wanderer to UK & West Europe)
• Habitat: Seacoasts, lakes, rivers, fields
• Diet: Omnivorous: Forages, scavenges, steals. Fish, insects, earthworms, small mammals, grain, eggs & rodents
• Slightly larger than common gull. White head, neck & below. Shortish, yellow bill has dark ring. Back & wings silver-grey. Yellow legs and eyes. Different immature plumage classes for first three years.
• Max recorded age 15yrs
• Similar birds: Common Gull (no ring on bill)

 

Research shows that at only two days old ring-billed gulls preferred the bearings of the direction for their fall migration!

Hunted almost to extinction in the early 1900's. It's feathers were used in hat-making. The population has recovered but not achieved previous levels.

 

Ring-billed Gull records in the Western Isles

Scarce (very small numbers recorded in most years) TBC

The chart below shows how abundant the Ring-billed Gull is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

Home • Contact Webmaster • Advertising

Copyright © 2006 Western Isles Netspace.  User Agreement and Privacy policy