The European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is the commonest large gull on Swedish coasts, recognisable by its laughing call and its readiness to live around cities and harbours. It measures 55-67 cm in length, has a wingspan of 125-155 cm and weighs 800-1,500 grams. The plumage is light grey above and white below, with black wingtips marked by white spots, a yellow bill with a red spot, and pink legs; full adult plumage is not reached until the fourth year.
Its call is a loud, laughing "ha-ha-ha-ha" and a plaintive "ki-ow". The species occurs along the entire Swedish coastline and on inland lakes, with about two-thirds of the national population of roughly 61,000 breeding pairs found along the east coast; despite still being classed as of Least Concern globally, the Swedish population has declined sharply since the turn of the millennium and has been red-listed as Vulnerable since 2020. It breeds in colonies on skerries, building a simple bowl-shaped nest of grass and seaweed directly on the ground, though it increasingly nests on flat rooftops in harbours and cities instead of natural skerries. The female lays 2-3 eggs, incubated for 28-30 days, and parents defend the nest and chicks aggressively. As an omnivore it eats fish, waste, the eggs and young of other birds, and mussels, which it drops from height to crack the shells. Largely resident or a short-distance migrant, it finds food easily even in winter around harbours, landfills and outdoor restaurants, and many birds remain in Sweden year-round.
Read about this species in Swedish →