The RSPB: Browse bird families: Gulls Browse bird families Image: Graham Catley Small to large seabirds, many of which also live inland for at least part of the year; some are strictly marine. Most are grey, black and white when fully mature, but extensively marked with various shades of brown during from one to four years of immaturity. They have long, slim wings and can fly exceptionally well, but also strong legs, which give them reasonably good mobility on the ground. They swim buoyantly and often resort to water to roost at night. There are many other gulls around the world that do not visit the UK. Bird life on Iceland Bird life on Iceland Iceland lies in the North Atlantic just under the arctic circle. It also lies between Europe and the American continent, Greenland being relatively nearby. Although the majority of breeding species are "European" or species which are more or less common to both Europe as well as Northern America, Iceland also sees true American species breeding on Iceland but not elsewhere in Europe. Also Iceland is a major stop-over for birds who spend the winters in Europe (the continent, Great Britain and Iceland its-self) but breed in summer on Greenland and north-eastern Canada.

These species (foremost geese and waders) use Iceland's stop over to feed and strengthen them-selves for the last leg of their migratory trek. Next to its geographical location two other factors play a big role on bird the life on Iceland. First, the Iceland southern and western lowlands have exceptionally mild winters given its northern latitude. This leads to hosting very unlikely winter visitors like the common European Grey Heron from Norway. Second, fact is that there are very few (real) trees and forests on Iceland and summers are cool. These are unfavorable elements for many passerine's. Obviously Iceland has - being an island - a long coastline. Both breeders of low coastal regions as well as cliff breeding birds have ample space for breeding. Especially the bird cliffs attract many visitors, both general tourists as well as keen bird watchers. A special feature is the lake Mývatn in northern Iceland where an exceptional amount of duck species and other waterfowl breed. Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Birds of Sea Cliffs For most tourists these birds are especially interesting.

They can be found in huge numbers on the cliffs and show little fear towards tourists who can come very close but never reach their nests on the cliffs. Even the egg-gathering by Icelanders through the centuries apparently has not made them very shy, nest protection is a very strong instinct! A group of related birds which are common on the cliffs are the auks. The steep perpendicular cliffs are used mostly by the common guillemot's ( Uria aalge) and the closely related Brünnich's guillemot ( Uria lomvia) (a more northern close relative of the common guillemot, both breed on Iceland). On higher parts of the cliffs the razorbill ( Alca torda) is more common on higher parts of the cliffs. The popular puffin (Fratercula arctica) breeds in self dug hollows on the edge of the rocks and grass turfs (for photo's see main pages on birds in this site). Because the latter can be found so close to the edge and because it will stay near their holes tourists can approach them easily. The black guillemot ( Cepphus grylle) , also common on Iceland (esp.

in the Breiðafjörður), breeds in rock hollows of lower coast lines. Other birds are also typical for the cliffs. These are the kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla) and the fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialis) Kittywakes breed only on cliffs at the sea shore while fulmars can also be found much further inland and also on high mountain slopes along the coast. Fulmars resemble gulls but are in fact member of the Petrel family. Shags ( Phalocrocorax aristotelis ) and gannets ( Morus bassanus) are also cliff breeding birds. Shags are more common in the western region (Snaefellssness and Breiðafjörður) while gannets frequent the south-western coasts of Iceland. There are many places where one can visit these cliffs. Well known are the Vestmannaeyar (small islands south-east of Reykjavik), Arnarstapi on the Snæfellsnes peninsula (mainly kittywakes), the Breiðafjörður area (check in at Stykkisholmur, see black guillemots on Flatey island).

The Breiðafjörður is also famous for the white-tailed eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla) . By far the most famous place to visit cliff breeding birds is the Latrabjarg, located on the westernmost tip of the Vestfjord district. Other places of interest are the Grimsey island north of mainland Iceland and in the south: Ingo and Dyrhólaey. This list is however, far from complete! Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Gulls and Related Sea Birds Many different gull species frequent Iceland. The kittywake is the only cliff breeder. All others breed in colonies on lowland coastal regions and marshes. By far the most inland occurring gull is the black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) . It is a species very common throughout Europe and is extremely adaptable. Thus it can also make use of wastes from human settlements. On Iceland one can see them also in highlands where tourists concentrate! Gulls generally are adaptable birds.

On Iceland these are common: the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) , the Glaucus Gull ( Larus hyperboreus) , the Common Gull (Larus canus) , the Great Black-backed Gull ( Larus marinus) and the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) . There is one special feature about the gulls on Iceland. This concerns the hybridization of the Herring Gull and the Glaucous Gull. The Herring Gull only settled in the early part of the 20th century. Pure Glaucous Gulls are becoming rarer. They are still rather common in the western and north-western coastal regions of Iceland. Other gulls are non-breeders on Iceland but are winter guests. One of them is, strangely enough, is the Iceland Gull ( Larus glaucoides) (the English name is confusing!), another is the high-arctic Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea). Closely related are the terns and skuas. The Arctic Tern ( Sterna paradisaea) is very common, especially in grassy areas where they breed.

Two common skuas are the Great Skua ( Stercorarius skua) and the Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) . The Great Skua is most common along the south coast - their main breeding grounds are the barren sand plains along the south coast (Skeiðarársandur), while the Arctic Skua frequents many coastal regions. Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Waterfowl On Iceland common waterfowl species belong either to the family of the ducks (including swans and geese) or to the grebe family and the closely related diver family (in America known as loons). Usually one associates them to fresh water birds. However the Eider Duck (Somateria mollissima) ) is a bird of (shallow) seas that seek their nesting grounds along the coasts.

Other ducks, like the Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) , the Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) and the Harlequin Duck (Histronicus histronicus) breed in/along fresh water environments but seek the seas and oceans outside the breeding season. The same is true for divers/loons. Although one can observe many species of waterfowl all over Iceland Mývatn is by far the most interesting place for observing waterfowl. Along this lake and areas surrounding the lake more duck species breed than any other place in Europe. Common dabbling ducks are Wigeon (Anas penelope) , Gadwall (Anas strepera) and Teal (Anas crecca) . Common diving ducks are the Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) , the Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) , the Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) , the Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) and the Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) . Where the lake flows into the Laxá river the Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is very common.

This list though is not complete! An extensive site about Lake Mývatn is maintained by the Biological Station of Mývatn . In the lowlands both the Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) and the Greylag Goose (Anser anser) are breeders, the latter much more common than the first. In the highlands the Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus breed in vegetated areas (often referred to highland oasis). Other geese species are passing migrants from Greenland. Lake Mývatn also has quite a few breeding pairs of the Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus) which is rather rare in most other regions of Iceland. The two loon species though can be found breeding scattered all over Iceland. They are the Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer) , an American species and the Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)).

Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Birds of heather lands and scrubs From an ecological point the Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) is a vital element in the food chain of Iceland. It is the main source of birds of prey like the Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) and the Snowy Owl (the latter is mainly a winter visitor) as there are no lemmings on Iceland. Another predator that relies much on the ptarmigan and also on bird (chicks) is the polar fox . Unlike many popular beliefs this animal hardly - if not at all - preys on farm animals like sheep (in fact the hard conclusion from an environmental perspective related to Iceland is that sheep do a lot of damage (soil The ptarmigan's are a popular hunting bird and as a result quite shy in most regions. However, where the hunt is forbidden they become quite tame. This is the case on the island of Hrisey (near Akureyri) and the Skaftafell National Park.

In heather areas of Iceland many stilts breed who could be called marsh birds (see below). Small but conspicuous is the Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) . As there are many heather lands it is quite common. Also common are the larger stilts the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) and the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) . These birds can be found in marsh lands and wet grasslands too. For passerine's in heather lands and scrubs see section on Passerine's . Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Marsh birds (stilts) Next to the birds of sea cliffs and sea birds like gulls, the coasts of Iceland are frequented by many birds which can be found along the seaside. They are the waders of the coast marshes. As seen in previous paragraph, some waders can be found inland too, esp. in the lowland regions of Iceland. One of those is the Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) . It can be found in grasslands.

The easiest characteristic to recognize the specie is when it displays its courtship flight. Then it makes a rhythmic sound with the pens of its (outer) tail feathers. On the ground it hides by pressing its body in the grass which is an excellent camouflage. The snipe is middle-sized wader as is the Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) . This black and white bird with red beaks, legs and eyes is a noisy bird with high pitched "peet'apeet "calls. Birds not yet mentioned are smaller waders. Common are the Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) , the Dunlin (Calidris alpina) , the Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) , the Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) , and the Red-necked Phalarope (Phaleropus lobatus) . The turnstone is foremost a passing migrant but can nevertheless be seen during most part of the year on Iceland. The Red-necked Phalarope can be found on fresh waters, also far inland, although it heads for the ocean outside the breeding season.

It is an interesting bird to watch, not in the least because it is not very shy. For specific information on these birds please see the main pages of the bird of Iceland. Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Passerine's When taking into account that Iceland lies far away from the mainland too, it becomes logical that both numbers of passerine species and numbers of passerine individual birds are low. Many specie-rich groups of the passerine's in Europe, like the warblers and twits, do not occur on Iceland (except for rare sightings, but as any bird watcher can tell you have to bare in mind that one can spot any bird of the world almost anywhere on the world). Passerine's The low number of passerine species make it quite easy to understand the passerine's of Iceland!

The three most common insect-eating birds are the wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) (typical for rough country), the white wagtail (Motacilla alba) (both in urban areas and wilderness, often near water) and the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) (in many different habitats). Because of their reliance on insects they (must) migrate in winter to southern Europe and Africa. Martins and swifts can be found occasionally on Iceland but there are no established populations to my knowledge. Generalist passerine's are birds that can make use of a wide variety of food sources. Common on Iceland are the starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (mostly around human settlements), the redwing (Turdus iliacus) (likes trees, therefore often in gardens, but also in other habitats), and the wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) (birch wood). Because these birds can switch to other food sources like berries, plant buds, etc. they may stay during the winter. Wrens are indeed full residents, while many individuals of the other two species do migrate but some sty. In case of the starling non-Iceland summer residents stay on Iceland during the winter.

Redwings migrate only small distances (British Isles, Western Europe) where they also feed on non-insect sources. Other generalists are the blackbird and fieldfare (often winter visitors!). Specialized seed-eating birdsalways feed their chickens first with insects as the very young birds cannot digest other food. One has to bear in mind this when seed-eaters are mentioned. Typical seed-eating birds of Iceland are the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) (in all wilderness regions of Iceland - prefers rocky country) and the redpoll (Carduelis flammea) (typically a bird of woods, towns and forest plantations). Like the generalists there is no compelling need to migrate. However some migration takes place but in case of the redpoll the pattern is complex an not always regular. Also redpolls from other areas (Greenland) come in winter to Iceland. For both redpolls and the wren the size of the populations can be very much affected by cold winters, a typical characteristic of small residential birds in Northern Europe. Other less common seed eating birds on Iceland are the brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) and the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs).

Both are rare breeders and winter visitors . A fourth group of the passerine's are the corvids, the family of the crows. Although one could technically place them as generalist pur sang their much larger size sets them apart from other passerine's. The only "real" Iceland corvid is the raven (Corvus corax) . They are common all over Iceland but are often found near human settlements where they can find food. Other corvids that can be seen occasionally on Iceland are the rook (Corvus frugilegus), the hooded crow (Corvus corone ssp. cornix) and the jackdaw (Corvus monedula).

Birds of Sea Cliffs -- Gulls & Related Sea Birds -- Waterfowl -- Birds of heather lands & scrubs -- Marsh birds -- Passerine's -- Migration species Migratory birds passing Iceland in spring and autumn Next to the breeding birds - may they reside in winter in warmer regions or reside in Iceland in winter - and the winter guest birds from the arctic regions, there are also birds which stay in winter in the warmer regions of Europe or even Africa but breed in Greenland, North-Western Canada or the high arctic isles of the Atlantic. In their long trek, be it in autumn or fall, they use Iceland as an in between station where they can feed in order to strengthen themselves for the next leg. Within this category belong some geese species as well as some wader species which do not - or very rarely - breed on Iceland. Two important migratory passing geese species belong to the "Branta" section of the geese family. These are: Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) and the Brent goose (Branta bernicla) .

Another goose species using Iceland to feed in order to strengthens themselves in the trek from the British Isles to Greenland/Canada belongs to the Anser section (like the Iceland breeding grey lag and the pink-footed goose). This is the White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) . The brent goose is very much a bird of coastal regions (does feed on grasslands near the coast but is found more often feeding along shallow shores - like seaweed vegetations). During the migratory stop-over on Iceland they generally stay along the south-western and western coasts. The barnacle geese can be found in early spring in mainly in the northern regions of Iceland but in autumn they can be found in the southern parts of Iceland. In the south there are a few breeding barnacle geese pairs. The white-fronted goose can be spotted on Iceland both in spring as in autumn in the southern and western regions of Iceland. Two small wader species also "use" Iceland as a stop-over to gain strength to and fro from Greenland and/or North-Eastern Canada. These are the knot (Calidris canutus) and the turnstone Arenaria interpres) . Only a very few knot birds stay during winter on Iceland.

Turnstones though, has both winter residents as well as stop-over migratory populations. Both species can best be spotted along the southern and western coasts. Elsewhere they can also be seen along the shores. Gull Identification Page - Mersey Birders Mersey Birders A Beginners Guide To Gull Identification The Basics Variation in Shades of Grey The shade of grey across the back and upper wings of gulls can be one of the main identification features for that species, however, due to different lighting in field conditions, it may be one of the least useful. This grey colour, often with a bluish, flat grey, or brownish hue, depending on the species, may appear lighter or darker depending on the angle of the sun or the angle of the bird. The grey often appears darker on birds seen from the rear, lighter (and more blue) when seen from the front. Direct sunlight can make birds appear either darker or very pale. The best viewing conditions occur when birds can be compared side by side, facing the same direction, preferably on an overcast day that eliminates sharp shadows. The following chart may give the misleading impression that birds farther down on the list will always appear darker than birds higher up.

In fact, many of the shades are so close that those within 0.3 (on the Munsell scale used) of each other will appear extremely close in colour, often indistinguishable to the human eye. Thus, the mantle shade of grey is an excellent I.D. pointer when comparing species that are quite different from each other, but of limited use when comparing birds with similar shades of grey. It should also be noted that variability is most common among those species with subspecies that are most defined by mantle shade. For example, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, especially graellsii and intermedius, are probably the most variable. Ads Yellow-legged Gull in bright sunlight and adw Lesser Black-backed Gull (intermedius) in flat light. Ads Herring Gull in dull light and Adw Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii) in good light.

MUNSELL VALUE (10=white; 1=black) (colours here are approximate; not exact) 7.5 Baltic (fuscus) No6 The same problem arises when you are viewing photographs of gulls, the angle of the bird to the photographer, the light, the contrast settings on the camera, and other factors make identifying gulls quite tricky indeed, and caution should always be taken with certain birds, not everything can or should be identified to a species for the sake of it. The above sequence of shots of an Adw Yellow-legged Gull, were taken with the same camera settings with the bird moving only 20yds in the 5mins of photographing, the light went from slightly cloudy, to bright sunshine and back to completely overcast, and can illustrate how the birds upperparts can look so different under variable lighting conditions.

Ageing and different moult timings of Gulls Gulls vary in how long it takes them to reach full maturity, and show several plumage states before completing full adult, for instance the smaller gulls like Black-headed Gull take only 2 years, from hatching stage (juvenile) in June/July, they start off with a warm brown sometimes ginger colour on head, breast sides and upperparts, the wing pattern has brown on the carpal (shoulder) with a black trailing edge to the inner wing, white primary coverts with variable dark streaks, the tail is mostly white with a broad black band. They moult into first winter (1stw) from August-April, the bare parts are a dull orange and still show the juvenile pattern on wings and tail. From April to August they moult into first summer (1sts), some gain a full but dull brown hood, and still show signs of immaturity, like a tail band which should show new white feathers from the centre beginning to appear.

Adult plumage is acquired from March-August, the upperparts are pale grey, the primaries show a white wedge to the outer wing with black tips making a trailing edge to the wing, the hood although regarded as black is actually a dark chocolate colour, with white eyelids, the bill is a marroon red with a dark mark near tip, the legs are similar in colour. The moult to winter plumage happens from August-March, the head loses the hood and has a reduced black spot behind the eye, sometimes forming a small band over the head to join the other side, a grey wash on the hindneck appears, some birds can have a pink wash on the breast, the bill and leg colour go to a more orange-red colour. There are birds that can be identified as second winter birds (2ndw), by showing dark markings on the tertials, and less obvious white tips to primaries, but most will be unidentifiable to adults. Other small 2 year birds are as follows: Black-headed Gull (larus ridibundus) Great Black-headed Gull (Pallas's Gull) (larus ichthyaetus) sometimes a 4year Gull.

Heuglin's Gull (larus heuglini) Baltic Gull (larus fuscus fuscus) Yellow-footed Gull (Larus livens) Common Gull (larus canus)(Mew Gull)(larus brachyrhynchus) Kamchatka Gull(larus kamtschatshensis) (larus canus henei) Sooty Gull (larus hemprichii) White-eyed Gull (larus leucophthalmus) Heerman's Gull (larus heermanni) The large Gulls have the longest time to reach full adult, these include birds like Herring Gulls, they have obvious third and fourth year plumages, they can show signs of immaturity in the wing coverts and on bill, lacking white tips to primaries, or mirrors, markings on tertials and on tail, all pointing to that age group.

Other large Gulls that take four years to reach adult are as follows: Herring Gull (larus argenteus) Scandinavian Herring Gull (larus argentatus) Yellow-legged Gull (larus michahellis) Azorean Yellow-legged Gull (larus michahellis atlantis) Caspian Gull (larus cachinnans cachinnans) Mongolian Gull (larus cachinnans mongolicus) Steppe Gull (larus cachinnans barabensis) Great Black-backed Gull (larus marinus) Lesser Black-backed Gull (larus fuscus graellsii) (larus fuscus intermedius) Vega Gull (larus vegae) American Herring Gull (larus smithsonianus) Age sequince Example of Herring Gull (larus argenteus) Juvenile Juv Herring Gull Aug07 Note the crisp scalloped upperparts, all black bill, and overall brown plumage, typical of most species. The notched tertials seperate this from the very similar Lesser Black-backed Gull at this age, which just have pale edges or tips.

FIRST WINTER/SUMMER First winter/summer Herring Gull Feb08 Gulls typically moult from juvenile to first summer beginning in the winter of their first year, when they are less than half a year old. (Note there is no such thing as a first winter plumage that is different from juvenile or first summer plumage.) The only real change here from the juvenile above is the back and scapulars have been replaced by feathers that have bits of "adult grey" in them. Note that the wing coverts are still the juvenile feathers, but appear more worn and faded brown now. The bill has also acquired its typical first year look. On all first year gulls, the tail will have some variation of dark and white with dark barring. Second Winter second winter Herring Gull Feb08 Now the bird has mostly adult grey back and scapulars, with some bits of grey among the brown wing coverts as well. The wavy marbling on the greater coverts and tertials is typical in second year plumage of four-year gulls. The eyes and legs may or may not resemble the adult colour. The bill colour is highly variable.

The tail will often have substantial black areas with variable marbling and white areas at the base. Third Winter 3rdw Herring Gull 5th March 08 Now the bird is starting to look more or less like an adult, except it still has some substantial black in the bill, some flecks of brown on the wings, probably an incomplete primary pattern (not visible), and a mostly white tail with a variable and often broken tail band (not visible). Fourth Winter/Adult Winter 4thw Herring Gull 5th March 08 Most adult species are streaky-headed in winter, all white in summer. Many species will show some black on the bill next to the red gonydeal spot in the winter only. The legs and bill often become brighter in the summer. The tail will be all white. This bird looks like an adult but has a small black mark behind the red gonys spot.

Size and Structure When looking through groups of gulls, one thing that needs pointing out is there is a considerable size difference in male and female birds as well as in different species, so when faced with a large adult Herring Gull next to a smaller bird, you can assume you are looking at a male bird next to a female, or possibly if the bird looks darker on the upperparts but still looks like a Herring Gull, this may well be the Scandinavian Herring Gull (larus argentatus) which is the nominate race of Herring Gull, birds from further east are darker with more white in the primaries. The other possibility to watch out for are, smaller than normal birds, sometimes birds dont develop properly at the juvenile stage due to either a lack of food or an abnormality in the birds genes, thus the bird can appear smaller than it should normally be.

When faced with a strange bird, try to look at nearby birds for a size comparison, and try and match the birds structure with that of another, and if your bird matches both the structure and mantle colouration, then the identification could be completed, remember gulls are incredibly varied in their plumages, with some birds acquiring full summer in the middle of winter, or seem to be stuck in a mix of immature plumage, possibly due to an illness, birds can delay their moult or advance it just to make things even more complicated. Hybrids The problem arises when a bird you are watching seems to have characteristics of two species, for instance, a bird that looks structually like a Herring Gull but has a much darker colouration on the upperparts, with yellow legs, and is clearly not a Yellow-legged Gull by the bluish tinge, showing more black in wing, a more rounded head and more heavy head streaking, will probably be a Herring X Lesser Black-backed Gull, and can always catch out the unwary.

There are a vast amount of hybrid pairings amongst Gulls and almost any combination is possible (according to size of gull species), birds that turn up in Britain regularly are Glaucous X Herring Gull, Herring X Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian X Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed X Yellow-legged Gull, graellsii X intermedious Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Mediterranean X Black-headed Gull and possible Ring-billed X Common Gull. This bird is probably a Hybrid Herring X Lesser Black-backed Gull, it had pink legs, and structure of Herring Gull with slightly darker upperparts with a bluish tinge, P10 was more like a mirror, and a smaller one on P9, with pale grey inner webs before the black tip. A small black bar on P5 similar to a Yellow-legged Gull was seen and long white tongues on P4-6.

This bird is a probable Glaucous X Herring Gull, the large structure of Glaucous Gull, along with long thick pink based bill with black tip, the mix of Herring was evident with the slightly darker primaries and a tail band, with a paler secondry bar, the underwing was very pale and very Glaucous Gull like. Adult Black-headed Gull underwing The white primaries on the outerwing from p10-p7, with the black tips continuing to p5 with a small mark on p4, but on the underwing, the white is only prominant on p10 and reduced on p9 + 8, and shows more black. 1stw Black-headed Gull upperwing Compared to Adult Black-headed Gull, the 1stw has more black on the leading edge of the primaries and secondries, and brown/black in the mid wing on the median coverts and tertials, with brown streaking on the greater coverts and a more prominant black edge to p10 and 9-8.

Bonaparte's Gull (larus philadelphia) Adult Bonaparte's Gull upperwing Adult Bonaparte's Gull underwing Compared to Adult Black-headed Gull the black in the wing is restricted to the primary tips only, and go from p10-p4 with a hint on p3, the underwing is mostly all white on the primaries with again just black tips to the leading edge of the wing. Adult Black-headed Gull Adult Bonaparte's Gull Adult Black-headed Gull Adult Bonaparte's Gull 1stw Bonaparte's Gull upperwing 1sts Little Gull in heavy wear and moult upperwing 1sts Little Gull underwing Juvenile Sabine's Gull upperwing Juvenilw Sabine's Gull underwing The distinctive white triangle formed by the white secondries, the inner primaries and the greater coverts make this a diagnostic feature for identifying this from imm Little Gull or Kittiwake which have a similar pattern to the wing.

Kittiwake (rissa tridactyla) Adult California Gull upperwing Adult California Gull underwing Large white p10 with a mirror on p9 and black restricted to p10-p6 and band on p5. 2ndw California Gull upperwing American Herring Gull (larus smithsonianus) Adult American Herring Gull upperwing Adult American Herring Gull underwing Adult American Herring Gull upperwing Adult American Herring Gull underwing In the first adult upperwing there is a large mirror on p10 with a smaller one on p9, a grey tongue on p9-p6 and a band on p5, but on adult no2 it has only one mirror on p10 and the grey tongues on p8-6 and band on p5.

1sts American Herring Gull upperwing 1sts American Herring Gull underwing Adult American Herring Gull upperwing Adult American Herring Gull underwing Thayer's Gull (larus thayeri) Glaucous-winged Gull X Western Gull Hybrids Juvenile Glaucous-winged X Western Hybrid upperwing Juvenile Glaucous-winged X Western Hybrid underwing Juvenile Glaucous-winged X Western Hybrid upperwing Juvenile Glaucous-winged X Western Hybrid underwing Adult Glaucous-winged Gull X Western Hybrid upperwing Adult Glaucous-winged Gull X Western Hybrid underwing Adult Glaucous-winged Gull X Western Hybrid upperwing Adult Glaucous-winged Gull X Western Hybrid underwing Western Gull (larus occidentalis) Adult Western Gull in moult upperwing Adult Western Gull in moult underwing Lesser Black-backed Gull (larus fuscus graellsii) Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull upperwing Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull underwing Great Black-backed Gull (larus marinus) 3rds in heavy wear and moult Great Black-backed Gull upperwing

 3rds in heavy wear and moult Great Black-backed Gull underwing Juvenile Great Black-backed Gull upperwing Juvenile Great Black-backed Gull underwing Yellow-footed Gull (larus livens) Adult in moult Yellow-footed Gull upperwing Adult in moult Yellow-footed Gull underwing Heerman's Gull (larus heermani) Adult in moult Heerman's Gull upperwing Adult in moult Heerman's Gull underwing Juvenile Heerman's Gull upperwing Herring Gull, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Typical Voice Size & Shape Herring Gulls are large gulls with hefty bills and robust bodies.

In flight, they look barrel-chested and broad-winged compared to smaller species such as Ring-billed Gulls. Color Pattern Adults have light-gray backs, black wingtips, and white heads and underparts. In winter, dusky streaks mark their heads. Herring Gulls take four years to reach adult plumage. Juveniles are mottled brown; second-year birds are brown but show gray on the back. Third-years have more gray on the back and more white on the head and underparts. The legs are dull pink at all ages. Behavior Herring Gulls patrol shorelines and open ocean, picking scraps off the surface. Rallying around fishing boats or refuse dumps, they are loud and competitive scavengers, happy to snatch another bird's meal. They spend much of their time perched near food sources, often in congregations of gulls. Habitat Look for Herring Gulls in winter along coasts and near large reservoirs, lakes, and major rivers. They feed in habitats as diverse as open water, mudflats, plowed fields, and garbage dumps, and gather in almost any open space near food.

In summer, they’re most likely to be seen along the Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes, and coastal Alaska; they also breed across the boreal far north. BIRDS of ICELAND, ICELANDIC BIRDS BIRDS of ICELAND Ferries-Car rentals About 330 species of birds have been recorded in Iceland. Of these only about 85 nest or have attempted to nest, and about 12 are common passage migrants or winter visitors. The rest are accidentals and casual visitors. The last category consists mainly of passerine birds of European origin, the most common of which are chiffchaffs, willow warblers, blackcaps, garden warblers, chaffinches, bramblings, redstarts and robins. Quite a few of the accidental visitors come from America, such as parula warblers, America robins, hermit thrushes, indigo buntings etc. Species, which are recorded annually, but less than twenty times a year, include bar-tailed godwit, ruff, grey plover, goldeneye and American widgeon.

Other regular visitors recorded less than twenty times a year are seabirds like pomarine- and long-tailed skuas and sooty- and great shearwaters. Compared with other European countries, the number of nesting species is low. On the other hand, the total number of certain species is so large, that they fully compensate for the comparatively small variety. Some of these, such as the puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes and both guillemots and Br�nnich�s guillemots, congregate in millions around the coast where suitable cliffs are found. During the 20th century the number of species of nesting birds has increased considerably, especially because of the increasing area of woods. The following breeding birds have colonized since the beginning of the 20th century: Shoveler, tufted duck, pochard, lesser black-backed seagull, herring gull common gull, black-headed gull, short-eared owl and starling. Coot, lapwing, swallow, fieldfare and house sparrow have all made nesting attempts, but have not yet settled as permanent nesting birds. Owing to its isolation and to other factors, Iceland is not fully settled zoologically.

The climate has been becoming gradually warmer since 1920 and, if no reverse change takes place, we may expect further additions to the list of breeding birds. Many of the more common birds, such as mallard, golden plover, ringed plover, whimbrel, redshank, snipe, great black-backed gull, black-headed gull, arctic tern, meadow pipit, wheatear and raven are found almost everywhere in the country, except in the extensive deserts of the interior. The best time for bird watching in Iceland is the latter half of May and the firs three weeks in June. In Reykjavik and other densely populated areas, a few species of passerine birds can be seen. A small proportion of the redwing population winters in Iceland and redpolls are conspicuous at this time of year. Wrens are frequently seen by the seashore and even in Reykjavik and other towns. Thousands of snow buntings enter towns and villages during severe weather, with the odd merlin in their wake. The Iceland gyr falcon is often seen during winter near the seashore and also in towns, particularly when the ptarmigan population is at its lowest.

Among the passerines, fieldfares and blackbirds are regular winter visitors, ravens are also very conspicuous at this time. Lesser Black-backed gulls are the only gulls which are total migrants. They leave in October-November, by which time the Iceland gulls have arrived from their nesting grounds in Western Greenland. Winter waders are confined mainly to the seashore of the southwest and southeast, purple sandpipers being by far the commonest. They can be seen by the thousands in some areas. Turnstones are also very common on the shores of the capital area, and so are oystercatchers and redshanks. Rarer waders seen in winter are snipes, knots and sanderlings, the last being very rare at this time of the year. Regular winter visitors among the waders are curlews, bar-tailed godwits (even though they do not come in the twenty-record category). Grey plovers are seen nearly every year. Both great northern- and red-throated divers can be watched on the sea, but mainly in the south. Many of the ducks are migrants, but more and more of them stay throughout the winter.

A part of the teal population, for example, is seen pretty consistently in winter, where ponds and streams are frozen. Widgeons are very common in the capital area in winter. Scaup and tufted ducks are now seen annually on the sea around the Reykjanes Peninsula. Barrow�s goldeneyes are quite common at the outlet of Lake Thingvallavatn. The long-tailed duck is very common on the sea around the country, and the harlequin ducks are also common, mainly in places, where the sea is rough. The most abundant duck is, however, the eider. Now You know Birds of Europe: GULLS Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae Gulls are most closely related to the terns . Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They typically have harsh wailing or squawking calls, stout, longish bills, and webbed feet. Gull species range in size from 29-76 cm. Most gulls, particularly Larus species, are ground nesting carnivores, which will take live food or scavenge opportunistically.

Live food often includes crabs and small fish. Gulls have unhinging jaws which allow them to consume large prey. Apart from the kittiwakes, gulls are typically coastal or inland species, rarely venturing far out to sea. large species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small gulls. Gulls are resourceful, inquisitive and intelligent birds, demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly developed social structure. Genus Chroicocephalus Gull, Bonaparte's Chroicocephalus philadelphia Found: North America, western Europe (rare) The breeding Bonaparte's Gull has a black head; short thin dark bill; pale gray back and upper wings; white underparts, neck; orange legs. In winter the head is white except for small black patch on of head. Similar to: Black-headed Gull . Bonaparte's Gull is smaller in size and also has a smaller bill than Black-headed Gull. Bonaparte's bill is black while Black-headed has a dark red bill. Hood on breeding Bonaparte's Gull is darker and more extensive than on breeding Black-headed Gull. Similar to: Little Gull .

Little Gull is the smallest gull, about 2/3 the size of Bonaparte's Gull. Bonaparte's has white around the eye; Little Gull does not. Bonaparte's Gull wings have white underside (except for black wing tips; Little Gull wings have darker underside. 1, 2, 3) Juvenile 4 - 10) Nonbreeding 11, 12) Breeding Gull, Black-headed Chroicocephalus ridibundus Found: North America (northeastern), Europe The breeding Black-headed Gull has a dark brown head; red bill, legs; pale gray upper wings with black-tipped primary feathers; white underparts, neck, shoulders. In winter the head is white except for 2 dark black ptaches on of head. Similar to: Bonaparte's Gull . Bonaparte's Gull is smaller in size and also has a smaller bill than Black-headed Gull. Bonaparte's bill is black while Black-headed has a dark red bill. Hood on breeding Bonaparte's Gull is darker and more extensive than on breeding Black-headed Gull. Similar to: Gray-hooded Gull .

The Black-headed Gull has a darker hood than the Gray Hooded-gull. Similar to: Little Gull . Little Gull is the smallest gull, about 2/3 the size of Black-headed Gull. Black-headed has white around the eye; Little Gull does not. Image by: 1) Vitaliy Khustochka - Ukraine 2) Asten - London 3) Ómar Runólfsson - Iceland 4, 5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 6) Dick - Scotland 7 Cristiano Crolle - Texel, Holland 8) Maarten Van Kleinwee - Netherlands 9) Sergey Yeliseev - Moscow 1) Juvenile 2) 1st winter 3, 4, 5) Nonbreeding 6 - 9) Breeding Gull, Gray-hooded also Gray-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Found: South America, Europe, Africa The breeding Gray-hooded Gull has light gray hood and wings; white shoulders, neck, underparts; red bill and legs. Winter gull has white head with faint mark behind ear. Similar to: Black-headed Gull .

The Black-headed Gull has a darker hood than the Gray Hooded-gull. Genus Hydrocoloeus - 1 species Gull, Little Hydrocoloeus minutus also Larus minutus Found: North America, Europe, Asia The Little Gull is the smallest gull. It has light gray wings; pale underwings; white shoulders, neck, underparts; little bill; red legs. Breeding has black hood. Nonbreeding has residual black spots on head. Similar to: Black-headed Gull , Bonaparte's Gull . Black-headed Gull and Bonaparte's Gull have white around the eye; Little Gull does not. Similar to: Ross's Gull . Breeding adult Ross's Gull has black ring around neck; breeding Little Gull has black cap. Similar to: Sabine's Gull . Adult Little Gull and adult Sabine's have dark hoods, but only adult Sabine's has yellow tipped bill. The black and white wing pattern of Sabine's Gull is more distinct than Little Gull's.

Image by: 1) Kallerna - Finland 2, 5) Ómar Runólfsson - Iceland 3) Sergey Yeliseev - Turkey 4) Dave Curtis - England 1) Juvenile (perhaps Ross;s Gull) 2) Juvenile 3) Nonbreding 4, 5) Breeding Image by: Andreas Butz 2) Muchaxo - Portugal 3, 4) Sergey Yeliseev - Spain Gull, Mediterranean Ichthyaetus melanocephalus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa The breeding Mediterranean Gull is a distinctive white gull. It has very pale grey mantle and wings; white primary feathers; black hood; white eye crescents; dark red bill with black subterminal band. The non breeding adult is similar but the hood is reduced to an extensive dusky mask through the eye.

Image by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Hungary 2) Dan Davison - England 3) Martin Olsson - Sweden 1) Juvenile 2) Nonbreeding 3) Breeding Gull, Pallas's Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa Genus Larus Gull, Armenian Larus armenicus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa The Armenian Gull has gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; yellow legs; yellow bill with dark ring; dark eyes. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. First winter birds are mainly brown. Found in the Caucasus and Middle East. Similar to: Ring-billed Gull . Ranges do not overlap. Armenian Gull has dark eyes; Ring-billed Gull has yellow eyes. Similar to: Yellow-legged Gull . Armenian Gull has dark eyes; Yellow-legged Gull has yellow eyes.

Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Marcel Holyoak - Israel Gull, Caspian Larus cachinnans Found: east Europe, west and central Asia Breeds in eastern Europe and west/central Asia. Range extends westward after breeding season. The legs are normally pink at all ages, but can be yellowish. Similar to: Herring Gull . Easiest way to differentiate between the species is by range. Similar to: Yellow-legged Gull . The leg color of adult Yellow-legged Gulls is usually sufficient to differentiate Yellow-legged Gulls from Caspian gulls, but the legs of their species can also occassionally be yellowish. Range can also be used to differentiate between the species. 1) Juvenile 2, 3, 4) Adult Gull, Glaucous Larus hyperboreus Found: North America, Europe, Asia The breeding Glaucous Gull has gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; pink legs; yellow bill with red spot; yellow eyes with yellow orbital ring, sometimes red ring. White primary wing feathers. Nonbreeding adult has slightly streaked head.

Similar to: Iceland Gull . Glaucous Gull much larger than Iceland Gull. 5) Alastair Rae - Japan 6) nebirdsplus - New Hampshire 7) US Fish and Wildlife Service - Aleutian Islands 8) Blake Maybank - California 1) Juvenile, dark type 2, 3, 4) Juvenile 5) Adult, nonbreeding 6, 7, 8) Adult, breeding Gull, Great Black-backed Larus marinus Found: east North America, Europe, Asia The adult Great Black-backed Gull has black back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; pink legs; yellow bill with red spot. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. This is the world's largest gull. Similar to: Lesser Black-backed Gull . Adult Lesser Black-backed has yellow legs, adult Great Black-backed Gull has pink legs. Great Black-backed Gull is considerably larger. Juvenile Lesser Black-backed has smaller bill and more streaks on breast than Great Black-backed. When not flying, juvenile LBBG has more solid dark brown visible on rump than GBBG.

Similar to: Kelp Gull , Slaty-backed Gull . Of these gulls, only the Great Black-backed has pink legs. 1 - 4) Juvenile 5) Juvenile, adult 6) nonbreeding 7, 8) Breeding Gull, Herring (European) Larus argentatus Found: northern Europe (Great Britain, the North Sea coast, and Scandinavia), Asia The breeding European Herring Gull has gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; pink legs; yellow bill with red spot; yellow eyes with orange orbital ring. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. Nonbreeding adult has brown speckled head and neck. Similar to: American Herring Gull , Some consider the America Herring Gull to be a subspecies of the European. Diffiicult to distingquish between them. 1) Juvenile Gull, Iceland Larus glaucoides Found: northeast North America to north Europe The adult Iceland Gull has light gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; pink legs; yellow bill with red spot.

Sometimes primary wing feathers have black spots at tips. Similar to: Glaucous Gul l . Glaucous Gull much larger than Iceland Gull. 5) Ómar Runólfsson - Iceland 7) Seabamirum - New York 1 - 4) Juvenile 2) L. g. kumlieni 5) Adult, nonbreeding 6) Adult, breeding Gull, Lesser Black-backed Larus fuscus Found: east North America, South America (rare), Europe, Asia, Africa The adult Lesser Black-backed Gull has black back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; bright yellow legs; yellow bill with red spot. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. Similar to: Great Black-backed Gull . Adult Lesser Black-backed has yellow legs, adult Great Black-backed Gull has pink legs. Great Black-backed Gull is considerably larger. Juvenile Lesser Black-backed has smaller bill and more streaks on breast than Great Black-backed. When not flying, juvenile LBBG has more solid dark brown visible on rump than GBBG. Similar to: Kelp Gull.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls have brighter yellow feet then Kelp Gulls. Similar to: Yellow-footed Gull . Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and adult Yellow-footed Gull both have yellow feet. Their rnages do not overlap. Similar to: Yellow-legged Gull . Adults of both species have yellow legs, but the back of Lesser Black-backed Gull is much darker than that of Yellow-legged Gull. 1) Juvenile 2 - 4) Nonbreeding 5 - 9) Breeding Eurasian 4) Keith Marshall - England 5) Sergey Yeliseev - Moscow region 7) Charles Lam - Korea 1) Juvenile 2) Common Gull in front, Herring Gull in back 7) Identified by Ville Supponen Gull, Ring-billed Larus delawarensis Found: North America, Europe The breeding Ring-billed Gull has gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; yellow legs; yellow bill with dark ring; yellow eyes with red orbital ring. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. Nonbreeding adult has brown streaked head. Similar to: Common Gull .

Ringed-bill Gull has a distinct ring on the bill; Common Gull has at most an indistinct ring. Common Gull has dark eyes, Ringed-bill has light eyes. Common Gull slightly smaller than Ring-billed Gulls and on the average the bill is shorter. 1) Juvenile 2, 3) Immature 4, 5, 6) Nonbreeding 9. 10) Breeding Gull, Yellow-legged Larus michahellis Found: North America (rare), Europe , Africa The breeding Yellow-footed Gull has gray back and wing-tops; white underparts, head, neck, tail; yellow legs; yellow bill with red spot; yellow eyes with red orbital ring. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. Nonbreeding adult may have some streaking on head. Similar to: Arnenian Gull . Armenian Gull has dark eyes; Yellow-legged Gull has yellow eyes. Similar to: Caspian Gull , Herring Gull .

The leg color of adult Yellow-legged Gulls is usually sufficient to differentiate Yellow-legged Gulls from either Herring or Caspian gulls, but the legs of these species can occassionally be yellowish. Range can also be used to differentiate between the species. Similar to: Lesser Black-backed . Adults of both species have yellow legs, but the back of Lesser Black-backed Gull is much darker than that of Yellow-legged Gull. Genus Leucophaeus New World gulls. All have white crescents above and below the eyes. Gull, Franklin's Leucophaeus pipixcan Found: west-central North America, Pacific coast S. America. Vagrant: Europe, Africa, Australia The breeding Franklin Gull has gray back; gray wing-tops with white trailing edges and black ends; white underparts, neck, tail; black hooded head; reddish-black legs and bill; white eye-crescents. Some primary wing feathers have white spots (mirrors) at tips. Nonbreeding adult has white head with substantial residual black hood. Similar to: Laughing Gull . Breeding Laughing Gull has more complete cap than breeding Franklin's Gull.

Laughing Gull has more black on underside wing tip than Franklin's Gull. Nonbreeding Franklin's Gull has more black on head than nonbreeding Laughing Gull. 4) Aviceda - SE Queensland, Australia 5, 6) Kaleomokuokanalu - Hawaii 1, 2) Juvenile 3) Adult, nonbreeding 4 - 6) Adult, breeding Gull, Laughing Leucophaeus atricilla Found: The Americas, Australia Vagrant: Europe, Africa The breeding Laughing Gull has gray back; gray wing-tops with white trailing edges and black ends; white underparts, neck, tail; black hooded head; reddish-black legs and bill; white eye-crescents. Nonbreeding adult has mostly white head with some residual black. Similar to: Franklin's Gull . Breeding Laughing Gull has more complete cap than breeding Franklin's Gull. Laughing Gull has more black on underside wing tip than Franklin's Gull. Nonbreeding Franklin's Gull has more black on head than nonbreeding Laughing Gull.

1, 2) Juvenile 3) 2nd winter 4, 5, 6) Nonbreeding 7 - 12) Breeding Genus Rhodostethia - 1 species Gull, Ross's Rhodostethia rosea Found: north North America, Europe The breeding Ross's Gull has light gray back and wings; white underparts, head, tail; white neck with black ring; red legs; black bill. Nonbreeding adult has residual black mark on neck, but no neck ring. Similar to: Little Gull , Sabine's Gull . Breeding adult Ross's Gull has black ring around neck; breeding adult Little Gull and breeding adult Sabine's Gull have black cap. Image by: 1) Unknown 2) Seabaminum - New York 3) John Breitsch - Colorado 4) Dominic Sherony - Manitoba 1) Juvenile 2, 3) Nonbreeding 4) Breeding Kittiwakes are the only gulls that nest on cliffs.

Kittiwake, Black-legged also Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America The Black-legged Kittiwake has a white head; underparts; gray back; gray wings tipped solid black; black legs; yellow bill. Similar to: Red-legged Kittiwake . The leg color usually differentiates between Black-legged and Red-legged Kittwakes, but sometimes a Black-legged Kittiwake can have reddish legs. 1, 2) Juvenile 3, 4) Nonbreeding 5 - 9) Breeding Genus Xema - 1 species Gull, Sabine's Xema sabini Found: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia (vagrant) The adult Sabine's Gull has a pale grey back and wing coverts; black primary flight feathers and white secondaries; white forked tail; black bill with yellow tip. The male's hood darkens during breeding season. Similar to: Little Gull . Little Gull is the smallest gull. Adult Little Gull and adult Sabine's have dark hoods, but only adult Sabine's has yellow tipped bill.

The black and white wing pattern of Sabine's Gull is more distinct than Little Gull's. Similar to: Ross's Gull . Adult Little Gull and adult Sabine's have dark hoods, but only adult Sabine's has yellow tipped bill. The black and white wing pattern of Sabine's Gull is more distinct than Little Gull's. Herring Gull Herring Gull Hover over to view. Click to enlarge. Herring Gull This is a large and highly varied group of birds that do not have many outward similarities. Most are water birds that feed on invertebrates or small aquatic creatures. The order is well represented in Washington, with seven families: Family: Laridae The family Laridae is made up of birds closely associated with water. Distributed throughout the world, representatives of this family nest on every continent, including Antarctica. Most are long-lived birds, many of which do not breed until they are three or four years old. Most are colony nesters and nest on the ground. Clutch size is generally small, varying from one to four eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and help feed the young.

The young typically hatch covered with down and stay in the nest for a few days, after which they leave the nest but stay nearby. Most, especially in Washington, raise a single brood a year. This group is known for its elaborate displays in the air and on the ground. The Washington representatives of this family can be split into two groups, or subfamilies. The adaptable gulls are the most familiar. Sociable in all seasons, they are mainly coastal, but a number of species also nest inland. Many—but not all—are found around people. Gulls have highly variable foraging techniques and diets. Terns forage in flight, swooping to catch fish or insects. They dive headfirst into the water for fish. Although they are likely to be near water, they spend less time swimming than gulls. Status: Maps General Description The Herring Gull is a large gull that can easily be confused with almost any of the other large gull species. The adult wears the typical gull-like plumage of slate-gray back and wings, a white body and head, and black wingtips spotted with white. The legs of the Herring Gull are pink, and the eyes are yellow.

The beak is yellow with a red spot on the lower mandible, as in most large gulls. In breeding plumage, the eye has a narrow, fleshy, red ring. Juvenile plumage has a varying degree of mottled brown and white. Herring Gulls reach maturity when they are four years old. Habitat Herring Gulls use a wide variety of habitats near water. They are common on beaches, mudflats, plowed fields, marshes, docks, commercial fishing areas, and garbage dumps. In the breeding season, they nest on islands. In winter, they are more strongly associated with salt water or open fresh water and are widely distributed along the coasts. Behavior An opportunistic species, the Herring Gull forages while walking, swimming, and flying. It may steal food from other birds, and will drop shellfish from high in the air onto rocks or pavement to break the shells. Diet Herring Gulls feed mostly on natural prey such as marine fish and invertebrates, although the diet varies considerably with season and location. In addition to marine life, Herring Gulls also eat other birds, eggs, garbage, and carrion.

Nesting Relatively long-lived birds, Herring Gulls don't typically breed until they are four or five years old. They generally nest in colonies, often with other gull species, and they also nest outside of colonies. Both members of a pair help build the nest, which is typically located on the ground in a sheltered location to protect it from the wind. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with grass, feathers, and other debris. The typical clutch size is 3 eggs, which both parents incubate for about 4 weeks. A day or two after hatching, the young leave the nest, although they stay nearby. The young first fly at the age of about six weeks. The parents continue to feed the young by regurgitation for approximately another month after they begin to fly. Migration Status On the West Coast, dispersal from breeding colonies in British Columbia begins in late July. Migrants heading south start showing up along the Washington coastline in August, and numbers increase throughout the fall. Herring Gulls can be found year round as far north as Alaska, although young birds are typically found farther south in the winter than adults, and it appears that only non-breeders are migratory.

Spring migration occurs in Washington between late March and mid-May. Conservation Status The Herring Gull is currently the most widespread large gull. It experienced a sharp decline during the 19th Century, mostly due to feather- and egg-hunting. The dramatic recovery and range expansion of the Herring Gull during the 20th Century is due to a number of factors, including protection from feather-hunting and egg-harvesting. Increased commercial fishing has reduced populations of large predatory fish, allowing an increase in numbers of small and medium-sized fish. A reduction of marine mammal populations has also helped to ease pressure on the small and medium fish. Increased numbers of garbage dumps following the spread of human populations along coastlines may aid in juvenile survival. Populations in the historic range have recovered, and new areas have been colonized as Herring Gulls expand their range down the Atlantic Coast. A concurrent range expansion has not been seen on the West Coast. In the mid-1970s and 1980s, numbers leveled off, perhaps due to closure and modification of garbage dumps, as well as the reduction of even the small and medium fish stocks.

On the West Coast, the status of the Herring Gull is confused by its hybridization with the Glaucous-winged Gull in Alaska, and by the fact that the Thayer's Gull was considered a subspecies of Herring Gull from 1956-1972. The numbers of Herring Gulls breeding in British Columbia appear to be increasing. When and Where to Find in Washington In winter, Herring Gulls can commonly be seen in small numbers roosting with other large gulls in all regions of the state, except for the mountains, in marine and fresh water habitats. In eastern Washington, they are common in these waters from October to April, and absent the rest of the year. In western Washington, they are common during migration from February to mid-April, and again in October. The greatest concentration of Herring Gulls in Washington is the lower Columbia River near Vancouver WA (Clark County), especially in March during the smelt run. In eastern Washington, they can be seen on Banks Lake (Grant County) in winter. Abundance

Question: Iceland, Herring and Black Headed are all types of which birds
Answer: Gulls