The biggest gull in the world, the great black-backed gull is thick-set with a powerful beak. They are known for bullying other birds to steal food. Great black-backed gulls are happy to eat most things, but especially like shellfish, birds and even rabbits and can be seen swallowing them down in one!
How to identify
Gulls can be very difficult to tell apart, especially immature birds. Adult great black-backed gulls are much larger than other gulls. They are dark grey-black above and white below, with a white head (streaky during the winter) and black wingtips with white spots. They have pink legs, whereas the similar lesser black-backed gull has yellow legs.
Distribution
Widespread. Nests around the coast on clifftops, rooftops and islands.
Did you know?
The great black-backed gull is the largest gull in the world. Due to their size, they have relatively few predators, but may occasionally fall prey to white-tailed eagles, sharks and killer whales at sea.
