Common Gull

Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Common Gull, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern	Amber listed
Species of European Conservation Concern	Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)	Least Concern
Schedule 1 license required (to disturb)	No
Birds Directive Annex 1	No
Listed on the Annexes of	WBD(II*), Bern(III)

The coastal-nesting population increased by 70% between the 1969–70 Census and Seabird 2000 (1998–2002). However, more than half of the population counted by Seabird 2000 were breeding inland. The inland breeding colonies have not been counted consistently and hence the overall trend for this species is highly uncertain. The counts made since Seabird 2000 suggest that substantial declines may have occurred at both coastal and inland colonies, although coverage is incomplete and the extent of the decline will not be known until the results of the recent Seabirds Count (2015–2021) are available (JNCC 2022).

UK winter population

-43% decrease (1995/96 to 2020/21)

Each autumn and winter a large influx of continental Common Gulls supplements local breeders, resulting in a very wide winter distribution in Britain, with birds being absent only from upland areas; in Ireland they are mostly coastal. Breeding Common Gulls are found mostly in the north and west of both Scotland and Ireland. However, in Scotland, the highest densities are found on the eastern half of the country from Angus to the Moray Firth, Caithness and the Northern Isles as well as in many Highland straths and glens.

The breeding change map highlights recent losses in many parts of Scotland and western Ireland.

Common Gulls are recorded throughout the year.

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report

Maximum Age from Ringing	27 years 10 months 22 days (set in 2013)
Typical Lifespan	10 years with breeding typically at 3 year
Adult Survival	0.86
Juvenile Survival	0.25 (to age 3)

Wing Length	Adults	358.3±16.1 | Range 336–380mm, N=1555
	Juveniles	345.7±13.9 | Range 331-363mm, N=42

Body Weight	Adults	407±52.28 | Range 328–497g, N=1394
	Juveniles	361±58.2557 | Range 280–457g, N=39

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

Ring size	E
Field Codes	2-letter: CM | 5-letter code: COMGU | Euring: 5900

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Causes of change

The causes of change in the Common Gull population are not known. Some studies have shown that American Mink Neovison vison can have a substantial negative effect at a local level and can cause colony abandonment (Craik 1997), but it is unclear whether predation from Mink and other predators may have driven wider population declines.