Scientific name: Larus ridibundus Linnaeus, 1766
Bird group: Gulls and Terns
Field characters. 37 cm. A slender dark-hooded gull. Adults recognisable in every season by black tips on primaries, white leading edge on wing, and dark red bill and legs. In summer, head chocolate-brown with white nape; back and wing pale blue-grey; rest of plumage white. In flight, upperwing pale blue-grey with pure white outer primary coverts and outer primaries (latter with black tips); underwing white with dusky rear panel. In winter, head white with dark brown ear-patches and sometimes with a few dusky bands across crown. Juvenile with buff-brown patchy hood and mottled ginger-brown upperparts; neck, underparts, rump and tail white; tail with narrow black terminal band. A very active bird, often seen in large flocks.
Voice. Noisy; voice harsh. Common calls a sharp "kwarr" and a short, soft "kek", often repeated several times.
Distribution. A common breeding bird and partial migrant for whole of Europe; decreasing in numbers.
Habitat. Occurs both inland and on coast; breeds, winters and forages in a wide variety of habitats. Breeding grounds near shallow, calm water are preferred; breeds colonially.
Food. Very varied. Predominantly various animal matter, but also vegetable food and human refuse; terrestrial invertebrates are captured by trampling on ground.