Silver Gull

Adults have a white head, neck, and underparts, pale grey back and wings with distinctive white 'windows' and black tips on the primary feathers. The bill, eye ring, and legs are bright red. Juveniles have brown mottling on the wings and back, a brownish-tipped tail, and a dark bill.

White body and head, pale grey upperwings with black and white wingtips, bright red bill, red legs, and white eyes.

Length: 38-42 cm, Wingspan: 91-96 cm, Weight: 220-350 g

A loud, raucous, and harsh laughing call, often given in a series ('chok-chok-chok' or a wailing 'kee-ow').

Omnivorous and opportunistic. Feeds on fish, crustaceans, insects, worms, human scraps, garbage, and occasionally the eggs or chicks of other birds.

Coasts, estuaries, harbors, lakes, rivers, rubbish tips, and increasingly urban environments like city streets, parks, and shopping plazas.

Mainly resident with some nomadic movements following food sources or inland water availability after heavy rains.

Breeds in colonies on coastal islands, rocky outcrops, or sometimes inland lakes. Constructs a ground scrape lined with vegetation. Lays 2 to 3 olive-brown speckled eggs, incubated by both parents.

Pacific Gull (much larger with a massive yellow bill tipped red) and Kelp Gull (larger, stockier, with greenish-yellow bill and darker back).

Acts as an opportunistic scavenger and coastal predator, helping to clean up organic waste in urban and natural environments, though their overpopulation can sometimes disrupt local ecosystems and smaller native bird colonies.

IUCN Least Concern with a stable or increasing population.

Easily observed in urban areas such as city squares, parks, and coastal beaches. They are very comfortable around humans and will readily approach for food.

Despite being called a 'seagull', the Silver Gull is just as comfortable living hundreds of miles inland near deserts or in bustling metropolitan centers like Sydney and Melbourne.