Summer Gull Guide

One of the first fun facts you learn as a birder is that there is technically no such thing as a ‘seagull’. While there are dozens of gull species, none of them are specifically named seagull. Shocking, we know.  

So, if you’re a little behind on your gull identification, don’t worry. Ireland is a hotspot for many visiting and resident gull species for you to get to know. Here are some species you might see this summer and how to tell them apart. Just to note, these tips are for adult gulls, juvenile and young birds are a whole other ballgame! 

Herring Gull 

For beginning birders, when you close your eyes and picture a gull, the description of a Herring Gull is probably what you’re imagining. Adults have white heads and light grey upper wings with black tips with white tips during the summer (pro tip: the whites at the very tips surrounded by black are called ‘mirrors’). One of the most defining features is the orange spot on the lower bill and their pink feet. The largest colony of these gulls live on Lambay Island, though they can be seen throughout the coasts of Ireland. They’re also the main urban-nesting gull in Ireland and breed in our cities and as far inland as Athlone (though in small numbers). 

Common Gull 

A white head, yellow beak, grey wings with black and white tips. Their legs are yellow green, though juveniles have pink legs. Despite their name Common Gulls are only our fourth most common Gull in Ireland. Their breeding colonies are primarily on lakes and coastal islands in the west, with some on the east coast in Dublin, but we get thousands spending the winter here from Scandinavia and northern Europe.  

Kittiwake 

Next up, we have the Kittiwake, which is technically our only actual sea gull, as they are the only ones that are strictly marine. Their appearance is almost the same as Common Gulls, but Kittiwake feet are much darker, and their wings lack any white mirrors and only show a solid black wing tip. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull 

The Lesser Black-backed Gull has dark grey upper parts, along with the black tipped wings with ‘mirrors’. These gulls look and resemble the Herring Gull, but they have a much darker back and yellow legs. Lesser gulls are also coastal like Herring Gulls, but unlike the latter, Lesser gulls nest in large numbers on some inland lakes.  

The only other black-backed gull we have in Ireland is the Great Black-backed Gull, which are much bigger, have a chunky bill, and are almost all coastal. 

Black-headed Gull 

Despite its name, Black-headed Gulls only have black (actually dark brown) heads during the summer months. They are slightly smaller than a Common Gull but can be easily distinguished by the thick white leading edge to outer wing, which can be seen at some distance. A blackish area bordering the white leading edge of the underwing is also evident. These gulls can be seen both on the coasts and inland throughout Ireland. Black-headed Gulls are actually our most numerous gull species, both during the breeding season when they nest on inland lakes, ponds and bogs, and in winter when our Irish-breeding birds are joined by individuals from the UK, northern Europe, Scandinavia and even as far away as Russia. In winter you’ll find them all over the country, on the coast and inland lakes, in parks and towns, and feeding in grassland fields. 

Mediterranean Gull 

A recent colonist, the Mediterranean Gull arrived in Ireland in 1995 and first bred in the Republic in 1996 in Co. Wexford. The largest colony is now at Lady’s Island Lake in Wexford – an NPWS conservation project, managed in recent years by BirdWatch Ireland. Small numbers also nest on inland lakes in Black-headed Gull colonies. They appear to look like the Black-headed Gull but show a distinctive all black hood, compared to the choclatey brown hood of the black-headed gull, which reaches further down the back of the head and neck. Unlike any of the other gulls listed so far, the Mediterranean Gull has an all-white outer wing.  

There are a handful of other species you may see soaring around, but keep your eyes peeled for some of the tips and tricks you’ve learned so far. To learn more about bird, visit our page for a List of Ireland’s Birds.