From the salty shores of Long Island to the bustling harbors of New York City, a variety of gulls can be seen wheeling and soaring overhead. Eight species of these adaptable, resourceful birds commonly occur in New York, migrating through or settling along the state’s abundant coastal and inland waters. Their raucous cries and aerial acrobatics add excitement to any outdoor excursion. While herring and ring-billed gulls may be familiar urban opportunists, keep an eye out for rarer visitors like the dainty Bonaparte’s gull and regal great black-backed gull. Learn to identify and appreciate the diverse array of gulls found throughout New York with this handy guide to their identification, ecology, and behavior.
| Gull Type | Description | Interesting Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Herring Gull | Large white and gray gull with yellow bill with red spot. Breeds on coasts and inland lakes. | – Omnivorous and bold around humans – Population increased with human fishing and waste – Recently declining in parts of range |
| Ring-Billed Gull | Mid-sized white gull with black wingtips and yellow bill with black ring. Widespread in winter. | – Nest in colonies in Canada and Great Lakes – Opportunistic feeders – Increased with more garbage available |
| Great Black-Backed Gull | Largest gull in New York. Black back and wings. Pink legs and yellow bill. | – Opportunistic feeders – Nest on ground or cliffs – Facing threats from human impacts |
| Laughing Gull | Black headed white gull with gray wings. Summer visitor to coastal NY. | – Named for its laughing call – Nests colonially in marshes – Populations declining in northeast |
| Bonaparte’s Gull | Small graceful gull with black hood and red legs. Migrates through NY. | – Nests in boreal forests of Canada – Light, buoyant flight – Can live over 10 years |
| Black-headed Gull | Uncommon visitor. Chocolate brown head in summer. | – Nests across northern Eurasia – Declining globally – Protected under MBTA in U.S. |
| Iceland Gull | Arctic breeder. Resembles herring gull but smaller and more delicate. | – Nests on remote cliffs and islands – Migrates over 5,000 miles – Faces threats from climate change |
| Lesser Black-Backed Gull | Black wings and back. Yellow legs and yellow bill with red spot. | – Opportunistic feeders – Populations increasing globally – Protected under MBTA in U.S. |
Table of Contents
1. Herring Gull
The herring gull (Larus argentatus) is one of the most common and recognizable gulls found in New York. Adults have white heads, pale grey backs, black wingtips with white spots, and yellow eyes and feet. They have a large yellow bill with a red spot. Herring gulls breed in the coastal areas and on islands in lakes but migrate inland during winter.
Herring gulls are omnivores and eat a variety of foods including fish, insects, rodents, eggs, berries, seeds, garbage, and carrion. They obtain much of their food by scavenging and can be considered pest species that take food from humans. They are bold, opportunistic and aggressive especially near colonies. Their loud, laughing calls are a familiar sound around the shores.
Herring gulls build nests of seaweed, moss, and grasses on the ground of island colonies. The female typically lays 2-3 speckled olive brown eggs. Parents share incubation duties. Chicks hatch after about 4 weeks and fledge in 4-6 weeks. They have a complex repertoire of vocalizations from soft chirps to loud screams.
Herring gulls live up to 25 years in the wild. Their populations increased dramatically during the 20th century with the availability of food from human fishing activities and waste. However, recent declines have been observed possibly due to reductions in food availability, hunting, botulism and other factors. Herring gulls are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
2. Ring-Billed Gull
The ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) is a medium-sized gull that can be found across much of New York, especially during winter. Adults are white with pale grey backs and black wingtips with white spots. As their name suggests, they have a black ring around their yellow bill. Their legs are yellow with black markings.
Ring-billed gulls nest in large colonies near water across Canada and the Great Lakes. They migrate south for winter and form large flocks along coasts, lakes, rivers, fields and parking lots. They are omnivores and will eat fish, insects, worms, eggs, small animals, seeds and garbage. They typically forage while walking on land or swimming.
Ring-billed gulls make nests on the ground lined with grasses, moss and debris. Females lay 2-3 brown blotched eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for around 3 weeks until hatching. Chicks fledge in 4-5 weeks. They have a wide range of vocalizations including a laughing gull-like call.
Ring-billed gulls live up to 15 years in the wild. Their numbers increased substantially in the 20th century with the availability of garbage as a food source and decrease in hunting. However, declines have recently been noted in parts of their range. They are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
3. Great Black-backed Gull
The great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) is the largest gull found in New York. As their name suggests, adults have black backs and wings. The head, underparts and tail are white. The legs are pink. They have a heavy yellow bill. Males and females look alike.
Great black-backed gulls breed in coastal areas with islands and cliffs. They are common along the marine coasts of New York. In winter, they move inland along large lakes and rivers. They are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. They prey on fish, crabs, mollusks, small mammals, birds, eggs, berries and carrion.
These large gulls build nests of seaweed and grasses on the ground or cliffs. Females lay 2-3 brown blotched olive eggs. Both parents incubate for around 4 weeks until hatching. Chicks fledge in 6-7 weeks. Young great black-backs go through several plumage stages before attaining adult plumage at 4 years old. Their loud calls include a deep laughing sound.
Great black-backed gulls live over 25 years in the wild. They face threats from human disturbance, hunting, pollution and climate change. Their populations are declining in parts of their range. They are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the U.S.
4. Laughing Gull
The laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a medium-sized gull named for its distinctive loud, laughing call. It is a summer visitor to the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of New York. Adults have a black head, white underside, gray back and wings, and black legs and bill.
Laughing gulls breed in coastal marshes and on barrier islands. They nest colonially with other marsh birds like terns. The nest is a depression scraped in the ground and lined with vegetation. Females lay 2-4 brown or green splotched eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for 3-4 weeks until hatching. Chicks fledge in about 5 weeks.
These sociable birds feed in shallow waters and wetlands. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat insects, fish, crabs, seeds, eggs, and carrion. They forage while wading, swimming and dipping from the air. Laughing gulls frequently scavenge in parking lots and landfills.
During winter, they migrate down the Atlantic Coast or to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Laughing gulls live up to 17 years in the wild. Their populations increased during the 20th century but have more recently shown declines, especially in the northeast U.S. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
5. Bonaparte’s Gull
Bonaparte’s gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) is a small and graceful gull that nests in Canada and Alaska and migrates through New York in spring and fall. Adults are white with a black hood, red bill and legs, and black wingtips. They are named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a 19th century ornithologist.
During migration, Bonaparte’s gulls can be seen in large flocks gleaning fields, ponds and plowed land for insects, worms and other small prey. They also feed on fish, mollusks and crustaceans along rivers, lakes and coastal waters. They have a light, buoyant flight and frequently capture prey aerially like a tern.
Bonaparte’s gulls breed around small lakes and marshes across the boreal forest. They nest in trees or on the ground in small colonies. Females lay 3 olive to brown spotted eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for around 3 weeks until hatching. Chicks fledge in 4-5 weeks.
These gulls are long distance migrants, traveling up to 14,000 miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. Their winter range extends along the U.S. coastline south to Central America and the Caribbean. Bonaparte’s gulls live up to 13 years in the wild. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
6. Black-headed Gull
The black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is an uncommon to rare visitor to New York, mainly during late fall and winter. As their name implies, adults have a chocolate-brown head and white body and wings during breeding season. In winter, the head becomes streaked with white.
Black-headed gulls breed in colonies across northern Europe and Asia. They are long distance migrants that come south and west for the winter, reaching the eastern coasts of North America. They inhabit marshes, lakes, rivers, fields and shores.
These gulls feed on insects, earthworms, fish, grains, seeds, eggs, small vertebrates and carrion. They forage while walking, swimming and dipping from the air. They also scavenge in dumps and urban areas. They have a wide range of vocalizations including a loud nasal laughing call.
Black-headed gulls build floating nests in reedbeds or marshes. Females lay 2-4 brown spotted eggs. Both parents share incubation duties for around 3 weeks until hatching. Chicks fledge in 4-5 weeks.
Black-headed gulls live over 20 years in the wild. Global populations are declining due to wetland habitat loss and degradation. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act when visiting the United States.
7. Iceland Gull
The Iceland gull (Larus glaucoides) is an Arctic breeding gull that migrates down into New York during winter. Adults are white with pale gray backs, black wingtips, yellow legs and a yellow bill. They resemble the more common herring gull but are slightly smaller with a more delicate build and aerial grace.
Iceland gulls nest on cliffs and islands across remote northern Canada, Greenland and Iceland, usually laying 2-3 eggs on bare ground. Both parents share parenting duties. Chicks hatch after around 4 weeks and fledge another 4-6 weeks later. Their calls include a high whistling note.
These gulls winter along the Atlantic and Great Lakes coasts, inhabiting beaches, harbors, wetlands, fields and dumps. They feed on fish, shellfish, crabs, marine worms, carrion, grains and refuse. They plunge from flight into water to catch prey.
Iceland gulls migrate over 5,000 miles between their Arctic breeding grounds and winter range. Their global population is around 200,000 birds. They face threats from climate change and habitat disturbance in sensitive northern areas and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
8. Lesser Black-backed Gull
The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) is an uncommon visitor along New York’s Atlantic coast, especially in winter. Adults are white with black wings and back. Their legs are yellow and their bill is yellow with a red spot. They are slightly smaller than the similar looking great black-backed gull.
Lesser black-backed gulls breed in colonies across northern Europe and Asia. They migrate south and west for winter, reaching eastern North America. Here they inhabit beaches, estuaries, harbors, lakes and fields.
These opportunistic gulls feed on fish, crabs, mussels, worms, eggs, small vertebrates, grains and garbage. They obtain food while swimming, dipping from flight, scavenging, pirating from other birds and raiding nests. They have a repertoire of loud, laughing calls.
Lesser black-backed gulls nest on the ground along coasts and lakes. Females lay 1-3 greenish brown spotted eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for around 28 days until hatching. Chicks fledge in another 5 weeks.
Global populations of lesser black-backed gulls are increasing. However, they face threats from climate change, pollution, human disturbance and bycatch in fisheries. They are protected when visiting the U.S. under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.