Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763
Herring Gull
CLASSIFICATION
Main Group: Animal
Sublevel 1: Vertebrate
Sublevel 2: Bird
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Larus
Species: Larus argentatus
STATUS IN NEW ENGLAND
Origin: Native
Invasive, Pest, or Pathogen?: No
Rarity Designations:
VT - state rank: S1B,S5N
MA SWAP (2015) - SGCN
RI WAP (2015) - SGCN
BIOLOGY/ECOLOGY
Feeding Type: Heterotroph
HABITAT
NOTES
Gulls in general are often considered to be a nuisance for their tendency to flock around areas containing food or garbage, occasionally stealing food or attacking people. They may also be a nuisance when they nest on buildings and leave droppings that may cause property damage or health concerns. The Herring Gull is known to predate the nests of the federally-threatened Piping Plover (Warren, 2016).
PHOTOS OF Larus argentatus
On a nest, on Star Island
Rockingham County, NH
Date: 2018-06-09
Adult with chick, on Thacher Island
Essex County, MA
Date: 2022-06-29
Immature, first winter plumage, Salisbury Beach State Park
Essex County, MA
Date: 2010-12-21
Martha's Vineyard
Dukes County, MA
Date: 2005-07-23
Salisbury Beach State Park
Essex County, MA
Date: 2014-03-17
Herring gulls (right) shown next to ring-billed gulls (left), Salisbury Beach State Park
Essex County, MA
Date: 2014-12-01
REFERENCES
Warren, D.J. 2016. Management of Predators at Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts for the Enhancement and Protection of Threatened and Endangered Shore Nesting Birds. May 2016 - August 2016 Summary Report. Submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. Prepared by David J. Warren, USDA, APHIS Wildlife Services. August 18, 2016.