River gulls species. Seagull bird. Description, features, species and habitat of the gull bird. Activity, social behavior and vocalization
Latin name Larus argentatus
English name Herring gull
Charadriiformes detachment
Gull family
Herring gull is perhaps the most famous, numerous and widespread of the large gulls. Its Latin and Russian names coincide and fully reflect the appearance, in which the main role belongs to the silver-gray color.
The Herring Gull is so widespread that some bird watchers believe that there is not one, but several closely related species within the common range. However, the more widespread opinion is that all herring gulls, wherever they live, belong to the same species.
Conservation status
Herring gull numbers are high and stable over most of its vast range, and they do not require any special protection measures. The world population of herring gulls numbers about 1 million pairs. However, in some places where the number and distribution of the species are limited for one reason or another, this gull is included in the regional Red Data Books. So in many European countries, herring gulls of the European subspecies are protected, since their number there over the past 25 years has decreased by almost 50%. In Russia, for example, it is included in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.
View and person
The relationship between man and gulls is unlikely to be of a "species" nature, for many - all gulls are the same. And since herring gulls live almost everywhere, the relationship between humans and gulls can be easily seen on their example.
Seagulls are faithful companions of seafarers and symbolize flight, freedom and life. There are many beliefs, legends and signs associated with seagulls. Here are some of them. Seagulls are the guardians of the souls of fishermen and sailors who died at sea, especially during shipwrecks. The pitiful cry of the seagulls is the demand of the drowned to bury them in a Christian way, in the ground. Old fishermen turn into gulls after death. The seagull is a symbol of a woman yearning for her drowned husband and children. The killing of a seagull is detrimental to everyone who participated in it. A sailor's hand will not rise on a seagull. And here - weather predictions based on the behavior of seagulls. The seagull walks on the sand, promises the sailor melancholy and until it gets into the water, wait for stormy weather. Seagulls on the shore raised a hubbub - to bad weather. If the seagull sits in the water, expect good weather.
And more signs: where there are seagulls, there is fish; if seagulls appear in the sea, the shore is close.
This is, as it were, the "positive" side of the relationship, but there is also a "negative" side. In terms of impudence, aggressiveness, thieving seagulls can be compared, perhaps, only with crows. They are not at all afraid of people, and there are numerous cases when in open fish markets, they dragged fish directly from the counters from under the hands of sellers. Defending chicks, gulls boldly attack people and dogs, diving almost their heads. And on the other hand, the spectacle of the results of cannibalism in a colony of gulls, when bloody chicks are scattered everywhere, killed by neighbors (and sometimes by their parents) is not for the faint of heart. In coastal cities, seagulls (including herring ones) are hunted in garbage dumps, no worse than crows. Anyone who has been, for example, in St. Petersburg, could be convinced of this, there are even more seagulls in the garbage dumps than crows, and they behave quite like a business. And the seagull droppings on buildings can hardly be attributed to the decoration of urban architecture.
With such observations of seagulls, the seditious thought often arises that the sailors, whose souls moved into the seagulls, were nothing but pirates and sea robbers.
Concerning the role of the herring gull in economic activity human opinions are also twofold. On the one hand, they can cause some harm to fishing and fish farming and destroy the nests of other birds, and on the other, gulls hunting in the steppe destroy a significant number of harmful rodents and insects.
With all these pros and cons, seagulls soaring over the sea are symbolic and beautiful!
Spreading
Herring gull lives in water bodies of the northern part of North America, along the sea coasts of Northern and Western Europe, including the Baltic, White and Barents Seas. Numerous on the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Azov Seas. In Asia, it nests on inland seas and large lakes from the Urals to Chukotka and Mongolia. V last years began to often nest in the middle zone of the European part of Russia.
Winters along non-freezing sea coasts from the temperate zone almost to the equator, and in some southern parts of the range is actually a sedentary species.
Appearance
Outwardly, a typical large gull. The mantle is gray-gray (in the eastern populations it is darker), the ends of the wings are dark with a pattern of white spots. The beak is yellow with a red spot on the mandible (lower part of the beak), which plays a signal role when feeding chicks; the beak is straight with a small hook at the end. The iris of the eye is light, the eyelids are yellow or red. Legs are pinkish. There is no sexual dimorphism (difference between the sexes) in color.
Herring gulls are characterized by seasonal and age-related color changes. In winter dress, dark streaks appear on the head and neck, and a dark band on the beak. Juveniles are brown-variegated above and below with dull legs and a dark beak. In the second winter, the head and bottom of the body turn white, and the back remains variegated, acquiring an "adult" color only by the second summer. The beak becomes sharply bi-colored (yellow with a red spot).
Body length is 55-67 cm, weight 750-1500 g, wingspan 140 cm.
The flight of the herring gull is smooth, with occasional flaps of its wings. They can also soar for a long time using ascending air currents. However, in pursuit of prey, seagulls can fly quickly and maneuverably, making sharp throws and turns. On the water they sit quite high and very rarely immerse themselves in the water completely, mainly in case of danger. They walk and even run well on the ground.
Nutrition and Feeding Behavior.
Herring gulls are practically omnivorous, their food spectrum is very diverse, and birds easily switch from one type of food to another. In this regard, their hunting methods are also very diverse.
In the coastal zone, herring gulls catch fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic life. In search of prey, they roam in shallow water, lowering their heads or even part of their bodies into the water, but do not dive completely. Sometimes they circle above the water, looking out for prey from the air, and then dive swiftly after it. Caught crustaceans and molluscs are thrown by gulls from a height on stones to break their hard shell.
They willingly eat carrion found on the shore, and also feed on garbage and waste from fishing vessels and fish processing enterprises. Here they gather in large flocks and arrange noisy fights in the struggle for prey.
On land, herring gulls feed on both plant and animal food: rodents, lizards, chicks of other birds, insects and their larvae, berries, and grain. In the tundra, for example, lemmings become their favorite prey. In coastal agricultural areas, groups of gulls, like rooks, can often be seen flying after tractors in the fields, picking insect larvae from the ground. In search of food, seagulls can behave like real predators, they destroy other people's nests, stealing eggs and killing chicks, including their own species. For example, in the colonies of puffins on the Ainov islands of the Kandalaksha nature reserve, herring and large sea gulls ( Larus marinus) wait for young puffins, who are the first and the first to leave the burrows where they hatched, and ruthlessly destroy them. At the same time, gulls are good at guessing the departure time of young puffins. Young puffins only manage to reach the saving sea when they leave their burrows en masse. Almost all the "pioneers" die.
Activity
Herring gulls are birds with daytime activity, but under some conditions, for example, when living in high latitudes in a 24-hour polar day, their activity also becomes almost round-the-clock.
Vocalization
Herring gulls have a wide range of emitted sounds: croaking, laughing, howling, meowing and cackling. The most characteristic laughing cry of a seagull is emitted when sitting on the ground and throwing back its head. For this cry, in many regions they are called "gulls" (not to be confused with the black-headed gull).
Social behavior
The Herring Gull is a colonial bird. Colonies can be very numerous (several hundred pairs), they can be smaller; can be monospecific, i.e. only herring gulls live in them, but they can be mixed, i.e. with other types of gulls. Inside the colony, each couple has their own individual area, which they vigilantly guard. If in relation to the external enemy all the gulls in the colony behave very amicably, collectively repelling the attack, then neighboring pairs often quarrel with each other, or even simply attack each other.
Within a pair, the behavior of gulls is also very complex, especially during the mating season. Here there is courtship on the ground, and ritual feeding of the female by the male, and the “chick” behavior of the female (sitting near the nest, the female squeaks in a thin voice and begs for food from the male). After oviposition, this mating behavior gradually subsides and then ceases altogether.
Reproduction and parenting behavior
In spring, herring gulls return to their nesting sites early, when areas of water free of ice appear; in different parts of the range, this occurs from March to May. Soon after arrival, mating games begin, when the seagulls behave very demonstratively: they scream, throwing their heads back, arching their neck and back, ruffling their feathers, and feed their partner. The pairs in herring gulls are constant and persist for a long time. They nest in colonies, the location of which is preserved from year to year. The couple often occupies their old nest, but may build a new one as well. Nests are always located on the ground: on precipices, in stones, on bumps. Inside the colony, the distance between adjacent nests can vary from 1-3 to 30 m, but, on average, it is about 5 m. The nest is built by both parents, and the building material can be very different: dry algae, stems of various herbaceous plants, lichens, moss, etc. From the inside, the nest is lined with feathers or wool of any animals (in the north, for example, this is the wool of deer or arctic foxes, which gulls collect after the molt of these animals).
In the clutch of herring gulls there are usually 2-3 eggs, greenish-brown or olive in color with dark large spots. Eggs are laid at intervals of 1-2 days. Both parents incubate; when changing partners on the nest, the birds very carefully turn the eggs over. Females spend a longer time on the nest than males. The incubation period lasts 28-30 days. The hatched chicks are dressed with brownish-gray down with dark streaks. In 4-5 days after hatching, they already leave the nest, but keep close to it. In case of danger, the chicks hide and become completely invisible against the surrounding background. Parents guard and feed the chicks by bringing food in their beak or belching. In polar day conditions, feeding takes place almost around the clock. If, for one reason or another, the parents cannot get the required amount of food, the attacks of adult birds on neighboring nests and cases of cannibalism become more frequent in the colonies.
After 38-45 days, variegated young gulls rise on the wing, but for another month their parents continue to feed them.
Young herring gulls become sexually mature at the age of 5-6 years.
In recent years, in a number of European cities, a kind of special population of herring gulls has appeared, which have mastered city roofs. They build nests and raise chicks on the rooftops of city houses.
Life span
According to the data of ringing in nature, large gulls can live up to 40-50 years.
Zoo life
In the Moscow Zoo, herring gulls live in aviaries with a pool in the House of Birds. Their diet is identical to that of the black-headed gull and consists of a mixture of animal and plant foods.
But there are also free-living herring gulls in the zoo, which have settled on the Big Pond of the Old Territory. They first appeared here in 2011, apparently having moved to us from the Moscow River. Then it was only 1 pair, however, every year the colony increased and now at least 7 pairs nest, and there are also single birds. Even during the reconstruction of the Big Pond, when the water was drained from it, the seagulls did not leave the territory they liked, content with the small remaining puddles. They breed regularly, raising several chicks annually. Gulls feed here on the pond, in summer they are fish - carp living in the pond, and chicks of waterfowl (mallards, gogol and some others), and in winter - pigeons, which they catch on the shore. Seagulls are so accustomed to the pond and are so active and proprietary that even crows cannot compete with them in obtaining food. Common terns ( Sterna hirundo), smaller members of the gull family. By the way, it was they who founded this free colony on the Big Pond, settling here in 2010. They continue to nest now, despite such aggressive neighbors as herring gulls.
There are approximately 60 bird species on our planet that belong to the Gull family. Here we will consider the main types of gulls that can be found in Russia. It should be noted right away that there will be a description of already adult individuals, since young birds can be very different in appearance from adults.
This type of gull is one of the most common. It has a brown head and a white back of the head. Likes to live on rivers and lakes. The length of the bird is up to 40 cm, and the weight ranges from 250-350 g.
The smallest representatives of gulls are small gulls, which are sometimes distinguished a separate species... In length they reach only 30 cm, and the weight rarely exceeds 100 g. They love to live in swamps, lakes, rivers. Outwardly it has a completely black head.
Outwardly, this type of gull is distinguished by yellow legs, beak and rainbow. The plumage is white on the head. The skin around the eyes is red. In length they can reach up to 60 cm. They live on the coast.
This type of gull is on the verge of extinction. It is characterized by a black head and neck. In winter, the head is white. There are also black feathers on the edge of the wings. The wings are light gray and the tail and chest are white. White spot around eyes. The skin around the eyes, beak and legs are red. The length is approximately 45 cm.
A large species of seagulls. In length up to 70 cm, and weight can reach 2 kg. Outwardly, they are distinguished by a black head, gray back, wings and a white body. The beak is orange with a black mark at the end. White spot around eyes. Young birds under 3 years old look different and look more like a herring gull.
In length, the birds reach up to 50 cm. The head is white, the back and wings are gray. There are black feathers on the wings and in the tail. The paws are red. It also has a very graceful and thin beak.
The photo with the Sea Dove gives the impression that this seagull was photographed against the background of Lencois Maranense.
One of the largest species of gulls. In length, the bird reaches up to 60 cm.Weight up to 1.5 kg. The colors are quite light. The head and body are white, the wings are gray, and there are black feathers at the ends. The beak is bent at the end of a yellow or greenish color. The iris of the eyes is silvery or light yellow. The paws are pink. A rather aggressive bird by nature.
Quite a large species of gulls. Length up to 55 cm. Weight up to 800 gr. The head and body are white. The wings are dark gray or even black. The beak is bent downward. The skin around the eyes is red. The iris is light yellow. Legs are yellow.
One of the largest species of gulls. Length up to 65 cm.Weight up to 1300 g. Pretty graceful bird with a long neck. The color is light - the head and body are white, the wings are gray. Beak and legs are yellow.
Another large species of gulls, reaching a length of 70 cm. The color of the bird is very light. It lives mainly in the Arctic regions in the north of Canada and Greenland.
The largest species of gulls. In length, they can reach 75 cm. All feathers are white except for the upper part of the wings, where they are dark. Beak is yellow curved, below is a red spot. Pale pink feet.
Gray gull
In length, this type of gull reaches 45 cm, and weighs up to 500 g. The head and body are white, and the upper part of the wings is gray. Wing tips with black feathers. The beak and legs are yellow-green in color.
In size, this species is close to the glaucous gull described above. The head and belly are white, the back and wings are gray. The tail has a clear line of black feathers. The beak also has a black mark on the tip and a red spot. Paws are yellow.
In length, this type of gull reaches 35 cm. During the mating season, the head is painted dark, and in normal times it is white. The tail has black feathers. The beak is also black and only at the tip it is yellow. Paws are dark. Such a gull lives in the arctic tundra.
The size of such a gull is up to 35 cm long. A very common type of gull. The head and body are white, the wings are gray, the paws are black, there is no hind toe (instead of a tubercle), which is what distinguishes this type of gull. The tips of the wings are black. The beak is yellow.
Red-footed kitten or red-footed talker
This type of gull is similar to the common kittiwake, but there are some differences. First of all, the red-footed kittiwake is smaller, the legs are colored red, the upper part of the wing is darker, and the lower part is gray rather than white. The beak is short. This species is listed in the Red Book.
The size of a seagull is up to 35 cm in length. It differs from all species in its pink color of the head and body. The back and wings are gray, there is a thin black collar on the neck, a black beak, red paws. Lives in Siberia and Greenland.
Lives in the Arctic. Size up to 45 cm in length. All plumage is white. The ring around the eyes is red, the legs are black, the beak is yellow with a green base.
The above were considered the most basic types of gulls that live on our planet. In fact, there are many more species of gulls. In general, their lifestyle and behavior are quite similar.
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Almost every bird has its own story or legend. AND bird seagull not an exception. There is a legend about pink, according to which pretty girls were deceived by the wicked witch.
She envied their beauty and tricked them into taking a dip in the icy pink water, where they died. But their souls continued to live in rose gulls. They come to the aid of drowning sailors. This variety can be seen at photo of seagull birds.
Features and habitat of seagulls
Gulls live wherever there is a sea, some species live near fresh water bodies and rivers. In many countries, seagulls are highly valued, they are scavengers and clean the beaches. On the other hand, these birds are very noisy, they stain buildings and steal food. They are also very cunning.
In the photo there is a pink gull
Lot different types these birds, and all have similar features:
- long wings;
- streamlined body;
- almost square tail;
- the color of females and males is the same;
- young birds have brownish plumage;
- but the old ones seagull birds - white;
- the size can be very different, from large specimens to very miniature;
- strong beak with a hook at the end;
- legs of medium length, color red or black.
All seagulls are colonial. These colonies reach several thousand birds. The seagull is a sea bird, it has swimming membranes, thanks to which they move well in the water, but they do not belong to ocean birds.
The seagull is a monogamous bird, pairs are formed for a long time. They are excellent flyers, but they also walk well on land. To the question: “ Gull migrant or not? " you can answer yes and no. Most of the seagulls fly to warmer regions, but some remain to winter in cities if they have something to feed themselves.
Seagull bird species
Ordinary seagull or lake... They live on the territory of Eurasia and the coasts of Canada. They can often be found on the territory of Russia, when they beg for food on ships. Body weight is not very large, on average from 240 to 400 g. The physique is slender.
They nest near freshwater bodies of water and even city dumps. They don't really like the sea, they stop there only for the duration of the flight. They leave at the end of August and return in April. Flights are made in small flocks, fly in the form of a triangle.
They also nest in colonies, in reeds surrounded by water. They lay up to three eggs, dirty green in color with gray spots (they can be eaten). The robbers are very aggressive, they even attack people, and the predators are put to flight.
Both partners incubate eggs, about 24 days. Parents begin to feed the chicks almost immediately; they regurgitate food into the chick's beak. On the territory of bird nests, you can often see killed chicks, when they grow up, they begin to wander around other people's nests, where adult gulls kill them.
Sea gull... A large bird, about 70 cm long. The tips of the wings are white, while the back and the rest of the wing are gray. Pink legs, dark beak. The length of the beak is 6 cm. She swims well and can even sleep on the water.
Throughout the year, they feed in garbage dumps and fish ports. You can meet them in America, on the coasts of the North Sea and the coasts of Europe.
Sea gull
They nest in a conspicuous place to save eggs with ease. Some couples climb to the tops of the cliffs. Since the seagull is a rather large bird, it has no enemies. The female lays three eggs, which are incubated by both partners.
Chicks at the age of eight weeks already fly beautifully. Seagulls are real predators, they eat not only the eggs of other birds, but also the adults themselves of impressive size. - bird like a seagull but is not. This is a completely different family - terns.
Bird tern
Great polar gull... The bird is quite large, weighing from 1300 to 2500 g. The color is white with a bluish mantle on the back. In general, the whole bird is very light in color. Lives in Europe, Asia and America.
Nests are built on cliffs or on the seashore. Nests alone or in flocks. Near the bird colonies, where they feed on the eggs of other birds. They lay three eggs most often. The polar gull is a dangerous predator, it feeds on carrion and kills many birds and animals.
In the photo, the polar gull
The nature and lifestyle of the seagull
Seagulls are very voracious birds, and in order to eat well, they show extraordinary ingenuity. To feast on shellfish, the seagull rises high into the sky and drops the shell on the stone until it opens.
Many birds fly away to warmer regions, but some wander around the cities in search of food. They easily adapt to any habitat. They are not at all afraid of people, and even beg for fish and bread from them.
They can circle over the water for hours, carve prey, and then fly down like an arrow and even dive into the water after it. They often hover over whales and dolphins, hoping to profit from their prey.
On the shore, they eat shellfish, and. Do not disdain and carrion. To make their nests, they collect various garbage, even cans and scraps of nets. At the same time, they bring a lot of benefits, destroying pests and removing garbage from embankments.
Breeding seagulls
Gulls begin to breed at the age of one to four years. After the pairs are formed, the female begins to demonstratively beg for food from the male and he feeds her. Gulls also nest in large columns, at a distance of 50cm to 10 meters. This is prudent, as many chicks like to walk around the area and can be killed in unequal combat.
The nests are built of rubbish and various rags, with a depression in the middle. Females lay one to three eggs, which are incubated by both partners in turn. They incubate them for three or four weeks.
Both parents are also involved in feeding the chicks. Chicks are gluttonous and eat 5-6 times a day. After 10-12 days, the chicks go for a walk. After 40 days, the chicks can already fly.
If danger approaches the colony, all the birds fly up and begin to scream loudly and water the offender with droppings. Not the most pleasant event. Seagulls live about 15-20 years.
Seagull's nest with chick
No matter how harmful and noisy this bird is, there is much more benefit from it than harm. In addition, it is difficult to imagine the coast of the Black Sea or another body of water without this cocky bird. Besides what bird is a seagull no matter how they look, they all have the same character.
The Herring Gull is considered one of the most numerous and recognizable representatives of the Charadriiformes order. Its habitat is so wide that most bird watchers are confident in the existence of not one, but several closely related species at once.
Scope of distribution
The silver gull gravitates towards cold regions. She inhabits the Northern Hemisphere. V winter months these birds move to Florida, southern China, Japan and the coast. They have chosen Great Britain, Scandinavia and Iceland for nesting. They can also be seen on the islands of the Arctic Ocean, Canada, Alaska and the eastern shores of the United States.
Since the herring gull is highly dependent on aquatic food, it also settles in coastal areas. She lives in mountains, cliffs, rocks, and sometimes in swampy areas. This bird has perfectly adapted to coexistence with people, therefore it often settles on the roofs of houses.
Short description
The Herring Gull is a large bird. The mass of an adult can reach one and a half kilograms. The average body length is about 55-65 centimeters. The head, neck and body of the bird are covered with white plumage. The wings and back are light gray in color. On the head of the seagull there is a beak compressed on the sides and bent at the end. He himself is yellow, but under it a red spot is clearly visible.
Around the eyes, which are painted in a gray shade, there are narrow rings of yellow skin. It is interesting that the herring gull acquires light plumage only in the fourth year of life. Up to this point, the young have a variegated color, which is dominated by brown and gray tones. Feathers begin to brighten after the bird reaches two years of age. The head and iris of juveniles are brown.
Breeding features and life expectancy
In conditions wildlife the European herring gull lives for an average of 50 years. She is considered a highly organized bird. The complex relationships between representatives of this species are based on a kind of hierarchy. The dominant position is occupied by males. The weaker sex dominates only in matters concerning the choice of a place for arranging a future nest.
These birds are monogamous. Except in rare cases, they create a couple of times and for a lifetime. Individuals that have reached the age of five are considered sexually mature. They begin to flock to the nesting site in April-May, immediately after the water is free of ice.
For the nesting period, these birds create entire colonies. The Herring Gull (larus argentatus) makes nests lined with feathers or wool on cliffs, rocky shores and dense vegetation. Both the female and the male take part in the construction. Moreover, as building material they use grass, tree branches, moss and dry algae. The distance between adjacent nests is about five meters.
As a rule, the female lays 2-4 eggs of a greenish-brown or olive shade with large dark spots, in which both parents are involved in incubation. Moreover, during the change of partners sitting in the nest, the birds very carefully and carefully turn the eggs over.
At the end of the four-week incubation period, chicks are born. Their small bodies are covered with gray fluff with clearly visible dark spots. After two days, babies can already stand up on their own. After another couple of days, they begin to leave the parental nest, not retiring to considerable distances. In the event of a threat, the chicks hide, becoming practically indistinguishable from the surrounding background. They begin to fly no earlier than they are one and a half months old. Parents alternately feed their offspring, regurgitating food for him. The basis of the diet of growing babies is fish.
What do these birds eat?
It should be noted that the herring gull is omnivorous. She can often be seen near ships and in garbage dumps. Sometimes she even steals eggs and babies of other birds.
Representatives of this species catch larvae, insects, lizards and small rodents. They can also eat berries, fruits, nuts, tubers and grains. They do not hesitate to take prey from smaller and weaker relatives. They also catch sea worms, crustaceans and fish.
Features of coexistence with humans
We note right away that the herring gull is not used to standing on ceremony with people. This bird actively populates modern megacities and equips nests on the roofs of multi-storey buildings. She often attacks those who are trying to harm their offspring. Also, there are many cases when insolent birds took food from the hands of passers-by right on the street.
However, over the past two decades, there has been a trend towards a decrease in the number of representatives of this species. In Europe, gull populations have decreased by almost half. Scientists attribute this to the influence of environmental factors and the depletion of fish stocks in coastal regions.
Activity, social behavior and vocalization
Despite this, herring gulls are diurnal, in certain situations they are active around the clock. This is especially true for birds inhabiting high latitudes in a polar day.
Representatives of this species are capable of producing a wide range of characteristic sounds. They can cough, croak, howl, and even meow. However, most often you can hear laughing screams from them.
Seagulls are colonial birds. Their communities can number more than one hundred couples. Smaller or mixed colonies are sometimes found. Each couple has their own carefully guarded area. If any of them is attacked external enemy, then the entire colony unites to protect their kinsmen. However, in peacetime, neighboring couples can conflict with each other and even attack each other.
Relationships within the couple are also not easy. Especially during the mating season. At this time, the male performs ritual feeding of his partner. And the female sits down near the nest and begins to squeak thinly, begging for food from the male. After laying eggs, a gradual abatement of a peculiar mating behavior is noted, and soon it disappears altogether.
The silver gull, or northern clux, adheres to a strict hierarchy. The male is always the leader, and it is he who makes the choice for the female, which dominates in everything related to the construction of the nest. Almost all representatives of this family do not like to earn food by their own labor, preferring to take it away from others.
River gull, lake gull, common gull, as well as rose gull - a bird that nests throughout Eurasia. A long time ago, our ancestors called her a monkey - probably because of the characteristic screams.
The seagull is a graceful and small bird. Its body length ranges from thirty-six to forty centimeters. Weight - approximately two hundred fifty-three hundred grams. Its head is round, in summer it has a dark brown color, with narrow white spots under and above the eyes. In winter and autumn, the head becomes gray. The beak is thin and red. The back and wings are light gray. There are swimming membranes on their legs, in spite of the fact that these birds never start a long voyage, but only adhere to the shore. The voice of the seagull is hard to convey unambiguously. It usually resembles clucking, laughing, or the screams of an angry cat. In general, the seagull is an energetic and noisy bird, which gives the impression that it is never silent.
It lives not only on the coast of the sea, but also on rivers, in floodplains, swamps, overgrown islets, lakes, peat quarries, as well as inland water bodies.
The seagull is an omnivorous and voracious bird. Its main food is weak and insufficiently dexterous fish, invertebrates, shells, molluscs, mosquitoes, beetles, small rodents, and so on.
Gulls nest in whole colonies - several thousand pairs gather together. To do this, they choose places where they cannot be disturbed by people, as well as four-legged predators. Nests are located on soil or bumps. In shape, they resemble sloppy round planks thirty to forty centimeters thick with a small indentation for eggs. The female lays from one to three eggs of brown, light blue color without spots. Both parents incubate them for about a month. Chicks stay in the nest for about two weeks, and then gradually move to nearby thickets. Chicks start flying when they are a month or so.
The seagull belongs to and, as a rule, flies away to warm regions in September. They hibernate in the Caspian and Black Seas, as well as in Japan, China and Africa. True, some of them stay for the winter in cities if there is an opportunity to feed themselves.
The seagull is a bird with impeccable adaptability. She fits into almost any habitat, not being afraid of a person and often begging for bread from him.
Have seagulls and positive traits- they save us from a huge number of harmful insects, and also collect waste.
People have long associated various signs with these birds. Earlier sailors noticed: if a seagull sits on the mast of a ship, then the weather will be excellent and you can set sail, and if it wanders around the coastal stones with a loud cry, then a storm is coming soon.
Science explains this by the fact that when atmospheric pressure becomes high, there are no air currents above the surface of the water that usually support birds, helping them to fly high in the air. That is why seagulls get tired very quickly and are forced to sit on the ground.
A seagull bird flying over the water resembles a white handkerchief, which is waved when meeting and saying goodbye. And seagulls resting on the sand and basking in the sun to some extent soothe, make it clear that despite all our crises, life goes on and everything will definitely get better.
