# Ring-billed Gull (*Larus delawarensis*) The Ring-billed Gull has a distinctive black ring around its bill. It's a friendly bird that often hangs around lakes and parks! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 308 - **Habitat:** Lakes, rivers, and coastal areas ![Ring-billed Gull](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425858/objects/4622.jpg) ## Appearance The Ring-billed Gull has a distinctive black ring near the tip of its yellow bill, setting it apart. It features a clean white body, gray back and wings, with black wingtips that have noticeable white spots. Their legs are bright yellow. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Larus ## Interesting facts - During migration, these gulls can fly thousands of kilometers to warmer wintering grounds. - Ring-billed Gulls are very social and often nest in colonies with thousands of other birds. - They're so adaptable, they thrive in cities as easily as by lakes and oceans! - Young Ring-billed Gulls don't get their famous bill ring until they are two years old! ## Special abilities - **Ocean Drinker:** Ring-billed Gull can drink saltwater because special glands remove the extra salt from their bodies. - **Foot-Paddler:** Ring-billed Gull can stir up hidden snacks by wiggling their feet in shallow water. - **Wind Surfer:** Ring-billed Gull can soar and glide effortlessly on air currents, saving energy during long flights. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 41-49 cm - **Wingspan:** 105-124 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 23-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding This opportunistic gull eats almost anything, from fish and insects to berries and human snacks. - **Primary Foods:** Fish, Insects, Worms, Berries, Small Rodents, Human Scraps - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Hunts gulls, especially at night. - **Eats:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Catches small fish from shallow waters. - **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Forages for worms in wet soil. - **Eats:** [House Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-mouse) (*Mus musculus*) — Opportunistically hunts small rodents in fields. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ring-billed Gull? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ring-billed Gull? 41-49 cm ### What is Ring-billed Gull's wingspan? 105-124 cm ### How much does Ring-billed Gull weigh? 0.3-0.7 kg ### How long does Ring-billed Gull live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Ring-billed Gull move? 60 km/h ### What does Ring-billed Gull eat? This opportunistic gull eats almost anything, from fish and insects to berries and human snacks. ### Where is Ring-billed Gull usually found? Lakes, rivers, and coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Blackstone Boulevard–Cole Avenue–Grotto Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackstone-boulevard-cole-avenue-grotto-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Burke Lake Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burke-lake-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Camp Evans](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-evans) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Canal Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canal-park) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Capitol Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capitol-park-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District [View all places to see Ring-billed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ring-billed-gull) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ring-billed Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ring-billed-gull)