The European Herring Gull nests on the ground in colonies, but has adapted well to towns and readily uses rooftops as a substitute for natural skerries.
Location: in colonies on islets and skerries along the coast, but increasingly also on flat roofs in harbours and towns.
Construction: a simple bowl-shaped nest of grass, seaweed and plant material placed directly on the ground.
Breeding: the female usually lays 2–3 eggs, which are incubated for 28–30 days, and the parents defend the nest and young aggressively against intruders.