Familiar acrobats of the air, Ring-billed Gulls nimbly pluck tossed tidbits from on high. Comfortable around humans, they frequent parking lots, garbage dumps, beaches, and fields, sometimes by the hundreds. Most Ring-billed Gulls nest in the interior of the continent, near freshwater. The distinctive black band encircling the yellow bill helps distinguish adults from other gulls.
Appearance[]
The Ring-billed Gull is a medium-sized sea bird with a fairly short, slim bill. When the gull perches, its long, slender wings extend well past its square-tipped tail. In flight, the birds move lightly on easy flaps of their fairly slender wings. They are 16.9-21.3 inches (43-54 centimeters) in length, 10.6-24.7 ounces (300-700 grams) in weight, and have a wingspan of 41.3-46.1 inches (105-117 centimeters). Adults are clean gray above, with a white head, body and tail; their black wingtips are spotted with white. They have yellow legs and a yellow bill with a black band around it. Non-breeding adults have brown-streaked heads. During their first two years, Ring-billed Gulls are a motley brown and gray with a pink bill and legs.
Behavior[]
The Ring-billed Gull is an omnivorous scavenger that often frequents garbage dumps and parking lots. It nests on the ground, laying 2-4 whitish eggs with brown markings and incubating them for about 20 days. The young, fed by both parents, fledge at 20-40 days of age.
Distribution and habitat[]
This gull breeds in Canada and the northern US, wintering in Mexico and the southern US. It is a year-round resident in certain parts of the Great Lakes region. Abundant and widespread, it is currently expanding its range and remaining farther north longer due to successful scavenging in cities.
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