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Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
Lesser Black-backed Gull, photographed by TheOtherKev

Photo: TheOtherKev · Pixabay · Pixabay Content License (licence)

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About the Lesser Black-backed Gull

Slender, long-winged gull, slightly smaller than Herring Gull. Adults show dark gray back and yellow legs; in winter note fairly heavy streaking on head and neck. Takes four or five years to reach adult plumage; immatures can be difficult to distinguish from other gulls, especially Herring. On first- or second-year birds, look for contrastingly whitish head with dark smudge around the eye, long wings, dark bill, whitish rump and tail base, and evenly dark wings in flight. Can be found around any body of water but prefers beaches and flats. Often with flocks of other large gulls. Common in Eurasia, wintering to Africa and Southeast Asia. Population in North America has increased dramatically in the last couple decades; now regular (even fairly common!) on the Atlantic coast, rarer inland and farther west.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 190 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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