Living in the Baltic Sea

Age
5 – 15 years, maximum 25 years
Record size & age
50 cm / 5 kg and 12 years old
Habitat
Sea Gulls are resourceful, inquisitive and intelligent birds, demonstrating complex methods of communication. They have highly developed social structure; for example, many gull colonies have a mobbing behavior, attacking and harassing would-be predators and other intruders. They live in colonies or packs along coastal areas, as well as inland lakes and rivers where they swim and feed at water surface. Depending on how cold the winter is they migrate south.
Food
Gulls can drink either salt- or freshwater and their scavenger diets allow them great adaptability. These omnivores eat anything from dead fish and garbage to field mice and insects, as well as hunting small prey.

Reproduction
Age: 2-3 years
Season: May - July
Number of eggs: 3

Gulls nest in large, densely packed, and noisy colonies, 2 to 300 pairs, near water or in marshes. The olive green dark spotted eggs are laid in nests composed of vegetation and hatch after 22–28 days. Both parents brood the eggs. The young are mobile from hatching and ready to fly at 30 – 35 days. Seagulls are very protective of their young and they continue to nest for about 6 months as their parents bring back food.

Human impact and Status
No economic importance. Sea gulls are often considered a nuisance pests around harbors, landfills, agricultural areas and when begging for food. They account for 50% of documented aircraft-bird strikes. CLOSE