herring gull

noun

1. a common, large gull, Larus argentatus, of the Northern Hemisphere.

herring gull

noun

1. a common gull, Larus argentatus, that has a white plumage with black-tipped wings and pink legs

Word History and Origins

Origin of herring gull¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Example Sentences

The herring gull was already on the list.

From Salon

Five other seabirds were already on the list - the puffin, kittiwake, herring gull, roseate tern and arctic skua.

From BBC

The study found that more than 51,000 pairs of herring gulls nesting at natural sites - rather than towns and cities - were lost during the reporting period, accounting for a 41% fall in the population.

From BBC

NatureScot said avian flu had been confirmed in sandwich terns, common terns, kittiwakes, herring gulls, black-headed gulls and guillemots so far this year.

From BBC

Dozens of different species of wild birds were hit, including golden eagles, buzzards, herring gulls and gannets.

From BBC