Best time to see: all year

Key facts

Most common and widespread gull, seen in almost all habitats

Habitat: towns, marshes, moors, sea, shoreline, fields

Widespread and common colonial breeder

Recognition

Pale grey/white upperparts, black on wings; black hood in summer, white head with black smudge in winter; red bill and legs; 38 cm

Gregarious gull often forming large flocks and seen scavenging over sea, fields or refuse tips

Eats edible refuse, carrion, invertebrates and seeds

Lifecycle

Nest is a scrape or cup of vegetation in marshland

One brood of 3 buffy eggs spotted black, April to May

Birds from eastern and northern Europe come here in winter, outnumbering the residents