Silver Gulls

Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae is the most common Australian gull species. It is mostly coastal, but can be seen inland as well (shopping centres and rubbish dumps are favoured habitats). As gulls go it is teeny weeny. An adult will be 40 - 45 cm from beak to tail tips, with a wingspan of under a metre. Compare this to the European Herring Gull Larus argentatus, which is about 65 cm long with a wingspan of a metre and a half. Young Silver Gulls have a dark beak, which goes redder and redder as they mature. The brighter the colour the older the bird. They are scavengers and will eat worms, insects, crustaceans and fish.

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