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European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
- SpeciesLarus argentatus (European Herring Gull)
In 3 days >90%
3,450 Verified sightings at Liverpool
10,476 In all 8 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted
About the European Herring Gull
The European herring gull or simply herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. It breeds throughout the northern and western coasts of Europe. Some European herring gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate farther south in winter, but many are permanent residents, such as in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or on the North Sea shores. They have a varied diet, including fish, crustaceans, as well as some plants, and are also scavengers, consuming carrion and food left by or stolen from humans.
The herring gull's scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird and argentatus means decorated with silver. This species group has a ring distribution around the Northern Hemisphere. Most adjacent populations interbreed; however, adjacent terminal populations do not.
The Association of European Rarities Committees recognises six species: European herring gull, L. argentatus American herring gull, L. smithsonianus Caspian gull, L. cachinnans Yellow-legged gull, L. michahellis Vega gull, L. vegae Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of European Herring Gull in Liverpool
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 4 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 5 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 7 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland |
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 2 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Copenhagen | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 5 | Amsterdam | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 6 | Rotterdam [The Hague] | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 7 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 9 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tierpark Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Heinola bird sanctuary | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 3 | Hellabrunn Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Nyíregyháza Zoo | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 5 | Leningrad Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 6 | Station ornithologique de l'Île Grande | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Plantasia | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Micro Zoo de Saint Malo | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 9 | Ogród Zoologiczny w Katowicach | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 10 | Zoo Schlichtweg 11 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 11 | Zoo Siebenbrunner Straße 6 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 12 | Тульский экзотариум (новая экспозиция) | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Closest Relatives at Liverpool
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a European Herring Gull in Liverpool?
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a European Herring Gull sighting in Liverpool on a given day, based on 3,450 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 5th most-seen of the 168 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a European Herring Gull in Liverpool?
January, March and June–October
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a European Herring Gull in Liverpool on a given day, against about 80% in February, April–May and November–December, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a European Herring Gull?
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Herring Gull sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Is Liverpool the best place to see a European Herring Gull?
2nd of 29
Of the 29 cities where we can rate European Herring Gull sightings, Liverpool ranks 2nd at about 80%. The best odds are in Dublin (Ireland, about 90%).
Which relatives of the European Herring Gull live in Liverpool?
Same genus: Larus
The closest relatives of the European Herring Gull that you can see in Liverpool (genus Larus, Large White-headed Gulls) are Lesser Black-backed Gull (about 80%), Common Gull (about 50%) and Great Black-backed Gull (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the European Herring Gull sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Herring Gull is recorded against all the birds logged in Liverpool (3,450 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
