These attractive gulls have white heads and breasts, blue-gray mantles, and bright yellow bills, with a single red spot on the lower mandible. They have been called 'vultures of the sea,' because they will eat any piece of refuse, offal, or dead fish that comes their way. They rarely catch live fish, although they often catch shellfish and drop them on rocks or hard ground to crack the shells open. Like all gulls, herring gulls are voracious eaters, and often eat so much that they cannot walk or fly. Sea storms can cause a dearth of food sources, so this gluttony is often necessary for survival for the gulls.
Herring gulls are generally monogamous, although partner changes do occasionallly occur.
Nests are usually built on the ground, and the same nesting site is kept for years. Three eggs are usually laid per clutch. The incubation period is 20 to 30 days. Upon hatching, most survival skills are innately known to the chick. The parents bring food to the young and guard the nest, but don't do much teaching.