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Fun Facts
Did You Know?
Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) are large gulls — about 22 to 26 inches long with a wingspan that can reach 58 inches, nearly five feet of bird. They weigh between 28 and 44 ounces, with females on the smaller end and males on the larger end. That's two to three times the mass of a ring-billed gull, and the size difference is immediately apparent when both species are in the same field of view. A herring gull standing on a boat dock or sandbars commands space the way a great blue heron commands a pond — through sheer physical presence. Adult herring gulls in winter plumage — the plumage…
If This Animal Could Talk...
"Watch closely, respect my space, and let my habitat explain the rest of the story."
The first time you see a herring gull standing next to a ring-billed gull, two things happen simultaneously. First, you realize how much larger a herring gull is — she’s a full head taller and noticeably heavier, built like a linebacker where the ring-billed is built like a wide receiver. Second, you realize that you’ve probably been looking at herring gulls for years and calling them ring-billed gulls because you didn’t know there was a bigger option. Herring gulls are the largest common gull in North Louisiana during winter, and they hide in plain sight because most people assume all gulls are the same species.
They’re not. Herring gulls are a different animal — literally and behaviorally. They’re more aggressive, more predatory, and more imposing than ring-billeds. A ring-billed gull will steal your french fries with the sneaky opportunism of a pickpocket. A herring gull will stare at you with pale, cold eyes and take whatever she wants with the energy of someone who has never once been told no. They’re magnificent birds, and they are not remotely friendly.
A Few More Facts
How they hunt and forage: Herring gulls eat everything ring-billed gulls eat, plus some things ring-billed gulls can't handle. Their larger size and heavier bill give them access to prey items that smaller gulls can't manage — mussels, large crawfish, crabs, and even small vertebrates like mice, fish up to six or eight inches long, and the eggs and chicks of other birds. Herring gulls are legitimate predators in addition to being world-class scavengers, and they'll kill and eat prey with a directness that can be unsettling to watch.
Live birth or eggs? no
When young are born: Lake Claiborne State Park, Poverty Point Reservoir, and North Toledo Bend all host winter gull flocks worth scanning.
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Accessibility
Accessibility
Herring gulls use the same boat ramps, fishing piers, and lakefront areas as ring-billed gulls — every location listed in the ring-billed article works here. The difference is that herring gulls are less common, so you're scanning for the big one among the flock rather than counting the flock itself. Vehicle-based scanning with a scope at lake boat ramps is the most comfortable and productive approach.The herring gull voice is the easy separator for birders working by ear.
Where ring-billeds produce a high, nasal, laughing call, herring gulls deliver a deeper, more guttural, wailing "kyeow" that sounds like it's coming from a bigger chest — because it is. At a mixed gull roost, the two voices layer over each other: the ring-billeds chattering in the upper register, the herring gulls moaning underneath. You can sort species by pitch without looking. The herring gull's deeper call also carries farther across open water, which means you may hear the big gulls before you see them, especially at evening roost sites where the voices arrive ahead of the birds.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Herring Gulls live in North Louisiana?
Yes. Herring gulls are the largest common gull in North Louisiana during winter, and they hide in plain sight because most people assume all gulls are the same species. Adult herring gulls in winter plumage — the plumage you'll see in North Louisiana — have a white head heavily streaked with brown, particularly on the nape and hindneck. North Louisiana birders rarely see full breeding plumage, since our birds are wintering individuals who depart before the spring molt is complete.
How do you identify Herring Gulls?
The first time you see a herring gull standing next to a ring-billed gull, two things happen simultaneously. First, you realize how much larger a herring gull is — she's a full head taller and noticeably heavier, built like a linebacker where the ring-billed is built like a wide receiver. Second, you realize that you've probably been looking at herring gulls for years and calling them ring-billed gulls because you didn't know there was a bigger option.
What does Herring Gulls eat?
Herring gulls eat everything ring-billed gulls eat, plus some things ring-billed gulls can't handle. Their larger size and heavier bill give them access to prey items that smaller gulls can't manage — mussels, large crawfish, crabs, and even small vertebrates like mice, fish up to six or eight inches long, and the eggs and chicks of other birds. Herring gulls are legitimate predators in addition to being world-class scavengers, and they'll kill and eat prey with a directness that can be unsettling to watch.
Is Herring Gulls dangerous to people?
No. This species is not dangerous to people when it is observed without handling or disturbance
