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  • Lesser black-backed gull

Lesser black-backed gull

Lesser black-backed gull
Lesser black-backed gull
Lesser black-backed gull (first-winter plumage)
Lesser black-backed gull (first-winter plumage)
Lesser black-backed gull (second-winter plumage)
Lesser black-backed gull (second-winter plumage)
  • Scientific name: Larus fuscus
  • Bird family: Gulls and terns
  • UK conservation status: Amber
  • Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Audio

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Niels Krabbe, Xeno-canto

Key information

Slightly smaller than a herring gull, the lesser black-backed gull has a dark grey to black back and wings, yellow bill and yellow legs. Their world population is found entirely in Europe. After declines in the 19th century due to persecution they increased their range and numbers. This expansion has now halted and there is serious concern about declines in many parts of its range. The species is on the Amber List because the UK is home to 40 per cent of the European population and more than half of these are found at fewer than ten sites.

What they eat:

Omnivore - scavenges a wide range of food.

Measurements:

Length:
52-64cm
Wingspan:
135-150cm
Weight:
620-1,000g

Population:

UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.
UK breeding:
110,000 pairs
UK wintering:
130,000 birds

Identifying features:

This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.

Lesser black-backed gull

Lesser black-backed gull
Feather colour: Black Grey White
Leg colour: Yellow
Beak: Red Yellow Medium length Powerful Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Urban and suburban Wetland

Lesser black-backed gull (first-winter plumage)

Lesser Black-Backed Gull, juvenile
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey
Leg colour: Pink Yellow
Beak: Black Brown Medium length Powerful Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Urban and suburban Wetland

Lesser black-backed gull (second-winter plumage)

Lesser Black-Backed Gull, second winter
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Pink Yellow
Beak: Black Brown Red Medium length Powerful Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Urban and suburban Wetland

Similar birds:

Adult great black-backed gull
Great black-backed gull
Herring gull adult
Herring gull
Yellow Legged Gull
Yellow-legged gull

Where and when to see them

Lesser black-backed gulls can be seen around the UK's coastline in summer and on some inland high moors. The biggest UK colony is on Walney Island, Cumbria, home to a staggering one third of the UK population. More than half the UK population is found at fewer than ten sites. They are increasingly common in urban habitats, even in inland locations such as the West Midlands. In winter, it is mainly found from southern Scotland southwards and is best looked for feeding over fields and at rubbish tips, congregating at large reservoir roosts each evening.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Summer
  • Winter
Lesser black-backed gull distribution map

You can see lesser black-backed gulls all year round. UK breeding sites are left in July and August and birds start to return as early as December. Large numbers of Scandinavian birds, which are darker than UK breeding birds, start to arrive in October.

  • jan
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Video

Video footage of the lesser black-backed gull.

Video footage of the lesser black-backed gull.

Lesser black-backed gull video screenshot

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