Common Gull
Larus canus
Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
- SpeciesLarus canus (Common Gull)
About the Common Gull
The common gull (Larus canus) is a gull that breeds in cool temperate regions of the Palearctic from Iceland and Scotland east to Kamchatka in the Russian Far East. Most common gulls migrate further south in winter, reaching the Mediterranean Sea, the southern Caspian Sea, and the seas around China and Japan; northwest European populations are at least partly resident. The closely related short-billed gull was formerly often included in this species, which was then sometimes known collectively as "mew gull".
The common gull was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the current binomial name Larus canus. Linnaeus specified the type locality as Europe but this is now restricted to Sweden. The genus name is a Latin word for a seabird, probably a gull. The specific epithet canus is also Latin and means "grey". The name "common gull" was coined by Thomas Pennant in 1768 because he considered it the most numerous of its genus. John Ray earlier used the name common sea-mall.
There are many old British regional names for this species, typically variations on maa, mar, and mew. The original English... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Gull in Gauja National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gauja National Park
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticola
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimus
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinago
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 4 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 5 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 7 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 8 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 9 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 10 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 11 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 12 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 13 | Thingvellir National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 14 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 15 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 16 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Gull in Gauja National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Gull sighting in Gauja National Park, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Gull in Gauja National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Common Gull in Gauja National Park in our monthly data.