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Great Black-backed Gull

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

             iGreat Black-backed Gull

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Charadriiformes
   Family:  Laridae
   Genus:   Larus
   Species: L. marinus

                                Binomial name

   Larus marinus
   (Linnaeus, 1758)

   The Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, is a very large gull which
   breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the
   North Atlantic. It is fairly sedentary, but some Great Black-backed
   Gulls move further south or inland to large lakes or reservoirs.

   This species breeds singly or in small colonies, making a lined nest on
   the ground often on top of a rocky stack. 3-5 eggs are laid.

   This is the largest gull, much bigger than a Herring Gull. It is 61-74
   cm long with a 1.4 to 1.7 m wingspan. It is bulky, and has a powerful
   bill. The adults have black wings and back, with conspicuous white
   "mirrors" at the wing tips. The legs are pinkish, and the bill yellow
   with a red spot.

   Young birds have scaly black-brown upperparts, and a neat wing pattern.
   They take at least four years to reach maturity, development in this
   species being somewhat slower than that of other large gulls. The call
   is a deep "laughing" cry.

   These are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and they will scavenge as
   well as seeking suitable small prey. They frequently rob other seabirds
   of their catch. It can swallow a puffin or a small wild duck whole.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Black-backed_Gull"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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