A large, pink-legged, four-year gull. Alternate Adult has pale pearly gray mantle, black wingtips, white underparts and head, pale yellow eye, pink legs, and a yellow bill with red spot at the tip. Shows similar amount of black on both upper and undersides of wingtips. Basic Adult has dark brown streaks on neck and head. Third-year birds have brown smudging on tertials, black ring on yellow bill. Juveniles are entirely chocolate brown, with highly patterned wing coverts and an all-dark bill. First-cycle (after Oct of hatch year) birds are paler brown overall, with a paler, near white head, crisply patterned wing coverts, black wingtips, dark or pale eye, and a dark bill with variable pinkish base. In flight, first-cycle birds show very light inner primaries, creating a light "window" that contrasts noticeably with the secondaries and outer primaries. Second-cycle birds have a pale gray back, but wings and wing coverts are brown, though a bit paler than those of first-cycle birds. Third-cycle birds are similar to basic adult, but still show brown mottling along flanks and across nape and upper back, and some brown in their wing coverts. In all plumages, head is more blocky, squarish than Thayer's, which has a rounded head. Somewhat long bill and yellow eye create a more menacing look on Herring. In flight, note black wingtips on adults; more extensive, particularly on underwing, than Thayer's.

Length: 64 (cm) Wingspan: 147 (cm)

Voice:

Hollow, trumpeting, and bugling notes.

Habitat:

Coastal areas, reservoirs, open fields, landfills.

Behavior:

Breeds colonially. Nest is a mat of vegetation on ground or rocky ledge. Aggressive; steals food from other birds. Forms flocks in winter, often with other gulls.

Feeding:

More carnivorous and predatory than most other gulls; eats a lot of carrion, as well as a wide variety of small fish and animals, including nestlings of other birds. Also eats human garbage.