If you have ever grabbed a burger at a coastal drive-in or walked through a suburban mall parking lot in the winter, you’ve likely been watched by those piercing yellow eyes. Physically, it is a medium-sized gull with a pale grey back and clean white underparts. Its “technical” calling card—and the reason for its name—is the prominent black ring that encircles its yellow bill near the tip. Unlike the larger herring gull, which has a red spot on the lower mandible, the ring-billed’s marking looks like a crisp, ink-drawn circle.
What truly separates the ring-billed gull from the more “refined” species like the Sabine’s or the little gull is its unapologetic opportunism. They are the ultimate “generalists” of the bird world. While they are perfectly capable of catching fish in a lake, they have mastered the art of living alongside humans. They are highly intelligent and can remember the exact timing of when school cafeterias let out or when fishing boats return to a dock. This “humanized” street-smartness has allowed their population to explode, making them one of the most successful and widespread birds on the continent.
Despite their reputation as scavengers, they have a surprisingly athletic side. They are masters of “kiting”—hanging perfectly still in the wind with minimal wing movement—as they scan the ground or water for food. They are also highly social and vocal, using a series of high-pitched, yelping “kyow” calls. During the breeding season, they head to the Great Lakes and other large inland bodies of water, where they form massive, bustling “cities” of thousands of nests on islands. These colonies are so loud and active that they can be heard (and smelled!) from miles away.
Distribution
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Aruba
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Brazil
British Virgin Is.
Bulgaria
Canada
Cayman Islands
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Jamaica
Kiribati
Martinique
Mexico
Montserrat
Morocco
Netherlands
Norway
Panama
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre
Saint Vincent
Senegal
Sint Maarten
South Africa
Spain
St. Kitts & Nevis
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos
US Virgin Islands
United Kingdom
United States
VenezuelaAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
