Garden Wildlife
Garden Wildlife
Garden Wildlife
Garden Wildlife
Gulls
We have just a token coverage for two species of gulls which are sometimes seen in gardens during the winter, when many coastal species move further inland. They are often seen in large numbers at rubbish sites, and following tractors ploughing arable fields. They occasionally land (or just swoop down) in gardens to pick up scraps.
Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
An attractive small (36cm) gull with a relatively delicate red beak and red legs. In summer they sport a fine black head, but in winter as here, this is reduced to a dark spot behind the eye.
They are recorded in 6% of gardens and are doing quite well, with over 2 million individuals in winter, which includes some visiting migrants.
BTO profile on black-headed gull
Herring gull Larus argentatus
The herring gull is a much larger (60cm) and more rapacious* bird than the black-headed gull. The overall plumage is much the same, but the rather stronger beak is yellow, and the legs faintly pink.
They are recorded in only 2% of gardens, largely in the winter, and mainly in coastal areas, where they nest on roofs and can be a considerable nuisance.
Herring gulls are red listed because of a major drop in their winter numbers, possibly related to our declining fishing industry and its consequent discharge of fish waste.
BTO profile on herring gull
* notoriously chips and ice cream cones.
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
Gulls
We have just a token coverage for two species of gulls which are sometimes seen in gardens during the winter, when many coastal species move further inland. They are often seen in large numbers at rubbish sites, and following tractors ploughing arable fields. They occasionally land (or just swoop down) in gardens to pick up scraps.
Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
An attractive small (36cm) gull with a relatively delicate red beak and red legs. In summer they sport a fine black head, but in winter as here, this is reduced to a dark spot behind the eye.
They are recorded in 6% of gardens and are doing quite well, with over 2 million individuals in winter, which includes some visiting migrants.
Herring gull Larus argentatus
Herring gull Larus argentatus
The herring gull is a much larger (60cm) and more rapacious* bird than the black-headed gull. The overall plumage is much the same, but the rather stronger beak is yellow, and the legs faintly pink.
They are recorded in only 2% of gardens, largely in the winter, and mainly in coastal areas, where they nest on roofs and can be a considerable nuisance.
Herring gulls are red listed because of a major drop in their winter numbers, possibly related to our declining fishing industry and its consequent discharge of fish waste.
* notoriously chips and ice cream cones.
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
