Scientific name: Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758
Bird group: Gulls and Terns
Field characters. 54 cm. Much smaller than Great Black-backed Gull. Mainly distinguishable from latter by yellow legs (but colour often fades during winter) and size. Mantle and wing slate-grey (ssp. graellsii) to nearly black (ssp. fuscus); other parts white. Besides the darker mantle, Baltic Gull L. f. fuscus from the Baltic area also differs in more delicate build, longer wing, more slender bill, moult pattern, fouraging and breeding behaviour. Bill long and yellow with red spot on gonys. In winter, plumage is largely similar, but with some dusky streaks on head and neck. Juvenile darker but hard to distinguish from juvenile Herring Gull. Upperparts are scaled and dark dusky-brown; underparts a little lighter, tips of folded wings and tail almost black. Bill blackish, legs brown. In flight easier to recognise due to black subterminal band on tail (in contrast with white rump) and 2 black wing-bars on inner wing; all primaries dark (juvenile Herring Gull has pale inner primaries).
Voice. Most calls are similar to those of Herring Gull, but deeper and louder. Generally silent, but noisy when in groups. Long-call is often heard, which consists of several short "ga"-sounds followed by a laughing "kyowwkyowwkyoww...".
Distribution. A fairly common breeding bird in the northern part of the region. On migration, it is fairly common everywhere in Europe.
Habitat. Nests in colonies on cliff-tops, inland moors and grassy islands. On migration common both at sea and inland; has a very wide tolerance of habitat. More often found inland than Herring Gull.
Food. Very varied; eats all kind of vegetable and animal matter.