European Herring Gull
European Herring GullEuropean Herring GullEuropean Herring GullEuropean Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Vatnajokull National Park
998 Verified records at Vatnajokull National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The European herring gull or simply herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. It breeds throughout the northern and western coasts of Europe. Some European herring gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate farther south in winter, but many are permanent residents, such as in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or on the North Sea shores. They have a varied diet, including fish, crustaceans, as well as some plants, and are also scavengers, consuming carrion and food left by or stolen from humans. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a European Herring Gull sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 998 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park

Great Black-backed Gull
LC

Great Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus marinus

40–50% · Likely
Glaucous Gull
LC

Glaucous Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus hyperboreus

30–40% · Possible
Iceland Gull
LC

Iceland Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucoides

20–30% · Possible
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

20–30% · Possible
Common Gull
LC

Common Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus canus

10–20% · With luck
Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

Insufficient data
Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

70–80% · Very likely
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

50–60% · Likely
Black-legged Kittiwake
VU

Black-legged Kittiwake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rissa tridactyla

10–20% · With luck
Little Gull
LC

Little Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Insufficient data
Sabine's Gull
LC

Sabine's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xema sabini

Insufficient data
White-winged Tern
LC

White-winged Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias leucopterus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

80–90
Jan
90–100
Feb
90–100
Mar
60–70
Apr
30–40
May
20–30
Jun
30–40
Jul
40–50
Aug
50–60
Sep
60–70
Oct
80–90
Nov
90–100
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
70–80%
2 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
50–60%
3 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
40–50%
4 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
40–50%
5 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
10–20%
6 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
7 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
8 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
9 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
10 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
11 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
12 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
13 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a European Herring Gull in Vatnajokull National Park?

About 45% of wildlife watchers report a European Herring Gull sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 998 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see European Herring Gull in Vatnajokull National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for European Herring Gull in Vatnajokull National Park in our monthly data.

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