Photo: Roger Culos / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Quebec Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Bristol Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Newfoundland and Labrador Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Quebec Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of England

See what's near you right now

The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Larus
Species michahellis

Where it lives

Coastal and inland southern, western, central Europe, Macaronesia, Mediterranean and northwestern Africa

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 1.1 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Yellow-legged Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Yellow-legged Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL coastal and inland s, w, c Europe, Macaronesia, Mediterranean and nw Africa.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 42.3 cm and a tail of around 16.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 859,000 km².

Songs & calls

Yellow-legged Gull — Call

Recorded by Christian Bøggild Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Yellow-legged Gull?

The Yellow-legged Gull is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.

Where does the Yellow-legged Gull live?

The Yellow-legged Gull is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL coastal and inland s, w, c Europe, Macaronesia, Mediterranean and nw Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Yellow-legged Gull belong to?

The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Yellow-legged Gull eat?

The Yellow-legged Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Yellow-legged Gull migrate?

The Yellow-legged Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Yellow-legged Gull endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Yellow-legged Gull make?

1 real field recording of the Yellow-legged Gull — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Yellow-legged Gull's range?

The Yellow-legged Gull has a mapped global range of about 859,000 km².