Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

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A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

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Adult

Immature

Color Photographs: © by and courtesty of John Cassady

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Identification: Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 24 inches.

Adult: Head white, suffused with gray. Bill yellow, typically with a red spot near the tip. Breast and undersides white. Back and wings black with the tips of the wings white. Tail white. Feet yellow.

Immature: Mottled gray and white. Wings mottled gray with the tips black. Legs pinkish.

Similar Species:  The Lesser Black-backed Gull is a rare winter visitor to the eastern shores of North America. It is most likely to be confused with the Great Black-backed Gull. The Great Black-backed Gull is a much larger bird. In addition the head is white and not suffused with gray and the feet are pinkish, not yellow.

Breeding Range: The Lesser Black-backed Gull breeds in northern Europe.

Overwintering Range:  This species is a rare, but regular, straggler to the eastern shores of North America during the winter.

Habitat: The Lesser Black-backed Gull is found in a wide variety of open habitats including garbage dumps, fields, lakes, and coastlines.

Food: A scavanger on carrion and garbage.

Reproduction:  The clutch consists of 3 brown-spotted blue-green eggs. The eggs are laid in a weak nest lined with grass or detritus. This species normally nests in colonies.