Great Black-backed Gull vs Lesser Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Huge1.6 kgCoastal

This is the largest gull in the world, considerably larger than a herring gull (Larus argentatus); only two other gulls, glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) and Pallas's gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus), come close to matching this species in size. It is 64–79 cm (25–31 in) long with a 1.5–1.7 m (4 ft 11 in – 5 ft 7 in) wingspan and a body weight of 0.75–2.3 kg (1 lb 10 oz – 5 lb 1 oz). In a sample of 2009 adults from the North Atlantic, males were on average 1,830 g (4 lb 1⁄2 oz) and females were on average 1,488 g (3 lb 4+1⁄2 oz).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Grégoire Chauvot · Kvaløyvågen, Tromsø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway · CC0

Photo: Tim · CC BY 2.0

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

Large762 gCoastal

The lesser black-backed gull is smaller than the European herring gull. The taxonomy of the herring gull / lesser black-backed gull complex is complicated; different authorities recognise between two and eight species. This group has a ring species distribution around the Northern Hemisphere. Differences between adjacent forms in this ring are fairly small, but by the time the circuit is completed, the end members, herring gull and lesser black-backed gull, are clearly different species.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Alarm call · Mont Saint-Michel, Manche, Normandie, France · CC0

Photo: Diliff · CC BY 2.5

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Great Black-backed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull.