Larus canus

During winter, common gulls feed mainly on earthworms; they are often attracted to recently ploughed fields for this reason (7). At other times of the year they will also feeds on insects, fish, small mammals, carrion and rubbish (3) (6). They are often attracted to rubbish dumps in harsh winter weather (6).  The nest is built on the ground, on boulders, in low trees or on buildings, typically near water (2). Occasionally common gulls nest in groups with herring gulls, but they may also nest alone (6). Pairs produce between two and five eggs, which are incubated for up to 28 days. The chicks are fully fledged after a further 35 days (3). These gulls are relatively long-lived, with the maximum recorded life-span being 24 years (3).

The name 'common gull' is rather misleading, as this gull is not all that common (5). It is generally similar in appearance to the herring gull (Larus argentatus) but is smaller, and has a smaller, thinner bill, a more rounded head and more active flight (2). The upperwings are pale grey in colour and have black tips featuring white spots known as 'mirrors' (6). The white head develops grey streaks in winter and the legs and bill are greenish-yellow. Juveniles are greyish brown with brown upperparts (2). The calls produced by common gulls are higher pitched than those of herring gulls; a 'ke ke ke ke kleeeh-a' call is said to resemble laughter (2).

Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, European waters (ERMS scope), Gulf of Mexico, North America, North West Atlantic, Northern Eurasia, Polish Exclusive Economic Zone, Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone, Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone, Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wimereux

The Mew Gull breeds in northern Europe, northern Asia and north-west North America. Most populations, except those in Iceland, around the North and Baltic Sea, and some off the coast of Canada migrate south. This expands its range to include the Pacific coast of North America down to Baja California (Mexico), the Pacific coast of Asia down to northern Vietnam, the Atlantic coasts of France and Portgual, the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, the entire coasts of the Black Sea and Persian Gulf, and the south coast of the Caspian Sea¹.

Larus canus, the Mew Gull, has a range that spans throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is found in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. (Bent, 1963; Felix, 1998)

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Native ); oceanic islands (Native ); arctic ocean (Native ); atlantic ocean (Native ); pacific ocean (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDING: in North America from northern Alaska south along coast to British Columbia and in the interior, northeastern Saskatchewan, western Mackenzie, west into northeastern Alberta and southern Yukon. In Eurasia from Faroe Islands, British Isles, Scandinavia, northern Russia, and northern Siberia south to northern Europe, Black and Caspian Seas, Lake Baikal, northern Mongolia, Anadyrland, Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, and Kurile Islands. NON-BREEDING: in North America mainly from southeastern Alaska south along Pacific coast to northern Baja California. In Old World from breeding range south to Mediterranean, northern Africa, Iraq, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, coastal China, and Japan (AOU 1983).

The common gull has a wide distribution, breeding throughout temperate and sub-Arctic parts of Eurasia. Two subspecies occur in Europe, the 'nominate' race L. c. canus is the subspecies occurring in Britain, extending through north-west Europe and reaching the White Sea in Russia. There is also a subspecies that occurs in North America (4). In Britain, this species breeds mainly in Scotland (4). In winter it is becomes more common in the rest of Britain, occurring inland and around the coast (7).

Mew gulls have an average length of 40 cm (1.3 ft.), with slender, yellowish-green legs and webbed feet. Male and Female gulls have a similar appearance, although males usually are a bit larger. They have gray wings and back with a plain white head and a greenish-yellow bill. The wingspan is usually around 119 to 122 cm (47 to 48 in.). Young gulls plummage is brown and spotted with tan; their beak is dark with a pink undertone. They will not develop adult coloration until about 27 months. (Felix, 1998; Del Hoya, 1996)

Range mass: 290 to 552 g.

Average mass: 432 g.

Range length: 40 to 46 cm.

Range wingspan: 119 to 122 cm.

Average basal metabolic rate: 2.257 W.

Length: 41 cm

Weight: 432 grams

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater
• Marine

Mew gulls flourish in and along coastal ranges, tidal estuaries, interior lakes and marshy grasslands. (Bent, 1963)

Habitat Regions: saltwater or marine ; freshwater

Wetlands: marsh ; swamp ; bog

Depth range based on 17743 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 5234 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 0
  Temperature range (°C): 7.577 - 15.249
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.633 - 16.868
  Salinity (PPS): 5.715 - 35.485
  Oxygen (ml/l): 5.875 - 8.325
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.231 - 0.890
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 12.889

Graphical representation

Temperature range (°C): 7.577 - 15.249

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.633 - 16.868

Salinity (PPS): 5.715 - 35.485

Oxygen (ml/l): 5.875 - 8.325

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.231 - 0.890

Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 12.889
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Comments: Seacoasts, beaches, bays, and mudflats (AOU 1983). Nests inland along marshes, lakes, and rivers or along the rocky or sandy seacoast. May nest on the ground or occasionally in trees. Usually nests on islands. NON-BREEDING: In winter in British Columbia, tens of thousands frequent agricultural fields. Seldom found far offshore, but often feeds at herring spawning areas and along lines of tide convergence (Campbell et al. 1990).

In summer this gull breeds on moorland on islands and cliffs close to lochs, lakes, bogs and marshes (3). During winter it can be seen on farmland, reservoirs, coasts, lakes and playing fields (3).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Found throughout the year in a portion of its range.

Mew gulls can be quite opportunistic, which certainly contributes to their adeptness at survival and their great abundance. As an example, the Mew gull, when it is able to get a clam or muscle, will fly over and drop the creature repeatedly on a hard surface until the shell gives way and cracks open. However the Mew gulls food of choice is almost always fish or seafood, which it will catch by dipping down into the water, or simply floating above and waiting for the fish. Worms, insects, mice, berries and grains from farmlands also make up the wide spectrum of food gulls will consume. Many times when food is scarce, gulls will resort to cannibalism, eating a large number of hatchlings and younger birds, which in many gull colonies leads to a high infant mortality rate.

Foods eaten include: cod, herring, worms, insects, berries, grains, crustaceans, clams, mussels and young sea birds.

(Time Life, 1976; Bent, 1963; Harrison, 1983)

Animal Foods: birds; mammals; fish; eggs; carrion ; insects; mollusks; terrestrial worms; aquatic crustaceans

Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Primary Diet: omnivore

Comments: Along the coast feeds on fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks. Also scavenges in harbors. Inland follows farmers plowing fields and feeds on worms and insect larvae.

Mew Gulls, as with their many relatives, are known as efficient garbage collectors. They scavenge off dead animals washed ashore and human debris left behind, in effect, keeping their habitat somewhat clean. (Time Life, 1976)

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Cannibalistic adult gulls will eat eggs and hatchlings. Also, mammals such as foxes and weasels may at times kill more than they can eat at one time (Time Life, 1976; Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye 1988)

Known Predators:

• gulls (Laridae)
• gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
• weasels (Mustela)
• sharks (Chondrichthyes)

Larus canus is prey of:
Cryptocotyle lingua
Himasthla elongata
Himasthla continua
Maritrema oocysta
Maritrema subdolum
Levinseniella
Notocotyledae
Maritrema humile
Maritrema gratiosum
Hymenolepis
Chondrichthyes
Laridae
Mustela
Vulpes vulpes
Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Based on studies in:
Scotland (Estuarine)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Larus canus preys on:
Sprattus sprattus
Clupea harengus
Platichthys flesus
Crangon crangon
Nereis diversicolor
Neomysis integer
Corophium volutator
Gammarus
Littorina littorea
non-insect arthropods
Actinopterygii
Annelida
Mollusca
Crustacea
Insecta
Aves
Mammalia

Based on studies in:
Scotland (Estuarine)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Lifespan of up to 24 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild: 24 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild: 218 months.

Maximum longevity: 33.7 years (wild) Observations: Maximum longevity from banding studies is 33.7 years (http://www.euring.org/data_and_codes/longevity.htm).

Breeding among Mew Gulls occurs in colonies on the coasts of Scandinavia, Finland, Russia, Great Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Alaska, northwest Canada and on occasion, Holland and France. They are usually already paired when they arrive in March and early April at the breeding grounds. During the initial courtship the female will make primary contact, begging the male for food in a crouched posture. They will generally create large nests, which are almost entirely constructed by the female, while the male keeps his distance, occasionally bringing building materials. The nest itself will be made up of many different materials, such as seaweed, twigs, mosses, bark, grasses, and weed stalks.Mew Gulls tend to build their nests on bare rocks or hummocks.(Bent, 1963; Harrison, 1983; Royal BC Museum, 1995; USGS, 2001; Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye, 1988)

Mating System: monogamous

Mew Gull eggs are a light brown/olive with brown markings, and are about 57 mm(2.2in) in length. They are laid in March and early April during the breeding season. The female gull will lay her first egg at anytime during a 24 hour period, but the majority of 2nd and 3rd eggs are laid from midday to evening. The eggs are incubated by both sexes at intervals of two to three hours, and will begin to hatch at around three to four weeks. When the chicks are hatched, they are tended by both parents. For the first four days, they will feed the hatchlings insects and small fish. At 20 days the young will begin to forage for food on their own, feeding on insects and their larvae, although they will still occasionally be fed by the parents, and will not be fully independent until about eight weeks.

The young gulls will stay in the nest until near to full growth, all the while being camoflouged by thick, speckled down. However, because many young gulls will often cannibalise their younger or weaker siblings, it is a rarity for more than one chick to survive.(Time Life, 1976; Skutch, 1976; Felix, 1998; Bent, 1963; Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye 1988)

Breeding season: March and early April

Range eggs per season: 3 to 5.

Average eggs per season: 3.

Average time to hatching: 25 days.

Average fledging age: 35 days.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)

Average time to hatching: 23 days.

Average eggs per season: 3.

Parental Investment: precocial ; male parental care ; female parental care

Breeding begins is late May. Usually 2-3 eggs are incubated by both sexes for 22-25 days. Nestlings are semi-precocial, downy. Young are tended by both parents, fledge in about 35 days. May breed singly or in small colonies.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 13
Specimens with Barcodes: 19
Species With Barcodes: 1

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 13 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

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Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

History

• 2008
  Least Concern
• 2004
  Least Concern

In some areas they are protected by law for their esteemed ability to keep beaches and coastal waters relatively clean of natural and human debris. (Time Life, 1976)

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Winter visitor.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Included in the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List (medium conservation concern) (3). Receives general protection in Great Britain under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (4).

Population

Major Threats

The common gull is not threatened at present.

Conservation action has not been targeted at this species.

In some areas the gulls become too numerous and cause problems, such as crashing into planes, defecating on buildings and statues, and crowding out other species of birds from their habitats. (Time Life, 1976)

Mew Gulls, along with many other types of gulls, have helped to keep beaches a bit cleaner due to their scavenging nature. This in effect, cuts the cost of maintenance of beaches. (Time Life, 1976)