Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Common Gull

Common Gull:

UK Status: Resident, mainly around the coast in England in the summer. Found inland in Scotland an Northern Ireland. During the winter found inland in most parts of the British Isles. However a small number of immature birds are found inland in England. A small flock regularly visits our garage roof to feed along with the other wild birds. In summer there are about 49,000 pairs in the UK, during winter migratory birds increase this to about 710,00 individual birds.

Habitat: This bird feeds on fish, worms, insects, carrion and scraps of food discarded by humans, it is often seen on landfill sites. Often seen near water, they are very adaptable and can be seen almost anywhere.

Breeding: This bird nests on the ground usually near water, they often choose high ground, or an island surrounded by water. Nesting in small colonies, sometimes in small trees, or on top of tree stumps. Nests are a largish, untidy, shaggy looking cup of interwoven vegetation. There are usually one to three eggs in a clutch, and they are pale to dark olive brown, or olive green in colour, fairly heavily marked with dark brown to blackish blotches. there is only one clutch each year, the eggs hatch in about 24 to 26 days. The young fledge in about 30 to 35 days and start scavenging, although the parents will continue to feed them for a while. Nests are made from the local vegetation, grass and other plant materials.

Comment: Not as common as it once was, numbers have declined steadily over the last few decades. Although not that scarce, or red listed as yet, it's survival is a matter for concern. The Common Gull is also known as the Sea Mew.