Gulls and Terns

Although maligned as raucous dwellers of rubbish tips and thieves of seaside fish and chips, gulls can be some of the most graceful of all UK birds. Their relatives the terns are smaller and more agile, performing spectacular plunge dives to catch fish. Perhaps deservedly, gulls have a reputation for being difficult to identify, going through up to four distinct stages and having species boundaries blurred by a myriad of subspecies.

Black-headed Gull - Common and widespread species. Chocolate brown hood in summer, white in winter. Distinct white band along leading edge of wing

Herring Gull - Common and widespread, although declining on the traditional coastal colonies. Pale grey mantle and pink legs

Yellow-legged Gull - Scarce but increasing year round visitor. Adults have slate blue backs and bright yellow legs.