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This page lists books about Gulls in the UK and worldwide. The books are listed in order of publication date with the most recent at the top.

Seabirds page

Gulls

Main UK gulls

Black-headed Gull
Larus ridibundus

Common Gull
Larus canus

Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus

Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus

Herring Gull
Larus argentatus

Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoides

Yellow-legged Gull
Larus cachinnans

Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus

Little Gull
Larus minutus

Mediterranean Gull
Larus melanocephalus

Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla

Worldwide

There are approximately 55 species of gulls though the taxonomy is complex and hybridisation not uncommon.

Dutch Birding, Volume 38(1): Identification of the Larus canus Complex

Peter Adriaens, Chris Gibbins

2016

A 64 page special issue of Dutch Birding in English.

"For several decades, there has been much attention for the taxonomy and identification of gulls. Most attention has been paid to 'large white-headed gulls', the group that once comprised simply Herring Gull Larus argentatus and Lesser Black-backed Gull L fuscus, but is now considered a complex of seven or more species. Small gull species, however, have received less attention, whereas the recognition and taxonomy of this group also hold many unresolved questions. The paper addresses a large number of these questions. For instance, the paper helps birders to identify the taxon heinei (Russian Common Gull) in the field; the status of heinei in western Europe is still unclear - vagrant or regular winter visitor? The paper also presents the knowledge necessary to identify vagrants, such as brachyrhynchus in eastern Asia and western Europe (it has been recorded in the Azores), nominate canus (Common Gull) in eastern North America, or kamtschatschensis (Kamtchatka Gull) in western North America or in western Asia (or further west...)."

Dispersal And Movements Of Lesser Black-Backed Gull In Europe

Viola H Ross-Smith, Robert A Robinson & Jacquie A Clark

British Trust For Ornithology

2015

From the executive summary: "Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers have fluctuated across this species’ breeding range in recent decades, with a sharp rise in the latter half of the Twentieth Century followed by declines in some areas, including in the UK . The Lesser Black-backed Gull is a polytypic species with three subspecies, one of which (Larus fuscus graellsii) commonly breeds in the UK. This project aimed to investigate the drivers behind these fluctuating population trends by studying this species’ population across its range."

Analysis Of Lesser Black-Backed Gull Data To Inform Meta-Population Studies

V.H. Ross-Smith, M.J. Grantham, R.A. Robinson, & J.A. Clark

British Trust For Ornithology

2014

From the executive summary: "Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers in England have fluctuated in recent decades. Both breeding and wintering populations rose sharply in the latter half of the Twentieth Century, mostly due to increases at a small number of colonies and changes in migratory behaviour. However, there was a 31% decline in breeding birds between 2000 and 2011 (largely because of losses at the same key colonies - population trends vary widely between colonies) and this species is on the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List. It can be taken under three General Licences issued under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, allowing population control in certain circumstances. Lesser Black-backed Gulls are not well monitored in urban areas, where there has been rapid population growth, and where this species may be considered a pest. There is a clear need to review the Lesser Black-backed Gull’s population trends and ecology in England to clarify its conservation status."

Gull and Tern Breeding Colonies on the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories: 1986-2010

Paul F. Woodard, Michael A. Fournier, and Myra O. Wiebe Robertson

2013

"Summarizes data and information on active larid breeding colonies collected between 1986 and 2010 on the portion of the North Arm west of Yellowknife. Most data were collected through ground surveys, with travel by boat, between mid June to early July. Information recorded at each colony included species, number of nests, clutch size, presence of chicks, and habitat characteristics."

Kitty the Toon: The World's First Inland Colony

John Miles

Artwork: Barry Robson

2012

"The story of the worlds first inland Kittiwake colony, especially written for children."

The Kittiwake

John Coulson

Poyser

2011

"Returning to its breeding sites in the spring after a winter spent far out at sea, the Kittiwake is a familiar sight around the coasts of Britain and Europe. A pale, medium-sized gull with a 'gentle' expression and bright yellow bill, the Kittiwake has been the subject of behavioural research since the late 1950s - one of the longest running studies in the world. In this Poyser Monograph, John Coulson summarises these decades of research, revealing amazing insights into the life of these gulls, with wider implications for the behavioural ecology of all colonial birds. There are sections on life at sea, nest-site selection, breeding biology, feeding ecology, colony dynamics, moult, survivorship and conservation. This book is essential for academics working on colonial species, and is also of great interest to birders who want to learn more about these elegant cliff-dwelling birds."

Amazing Gulls: Acrobats of the Sky & Sea

Marlin Bree

2011

"Seafarer Marlin Bree captures the poetry of the seagull's flight, the majesty of its soaring wings, and its amusing antics as gulls gregariously interact with humans. Through black-and-white digital stop-sequence photography, this tribute introduces their habits and habitats, their special abilities, and their remarkable intelligence. Via detailed drawings and illustrations, Bree examines the gulls' 'wings of wonder' and how they achieve their amazing sense of air, control their soaring and hovering, and remain aloft over great distances."

Gulls of the Americas

Steve N.G. Howell and Jon Dunn

Houghton Mifflin

2007

"Covering the thirty-six species of gulls that occur in North and South America, this unparalleled resource includes detailed identification information for the many plumages gulls display as they mature. More than just a field guide, this large and ambitious volume is the definitive reference work on gulls of the Americas. A group of birds that is popular among birdwatchers, gulls can be frustrating to identify, as they can take up to four years to mature, with different plumages each year. With 1,160 photographs illustrating these plumages, and descriptions by two of North America's top gull experts, this new reference guide is the authoritative word on gulls."

Local Ecological Knowledge of Ivory Gulls in Newfoundland and Labrador

P.C. Ryan

2006

Seabirds: A Natural History

Tony Gaston

2004

"This title takes an in-depth look at the lives of the world's true seabirds - the penguins, tubenoses, peleceaniids, gulls, terns, skuas and auks. These birds all spend much of their lives foraging at sea, but the range of ways that they are adapted to exploit the marine environment and balance this with the need to return to land to breed, is astoundingly diverse. They range from the albatrosses, which take their prey from the surface of the water and are capable of efficient gliding flight for hours on end, to the penguins which have dispensed with flight altogether and have developed a morphology and physiology which enables them to dive deeper and for longer than any other birds. The various problems of being a bird which forages at sea, and the array of solutions evolution has produced to counter them are the theme of this book, which should fascinate everyone with an interest in pelagic birds."

Indexing Winter Gull Populations In England, Wales, Scotland And Northern Ireland: An Analysis Of Data From The 1953 To 2004 Winter Gull Roost Surveys

Burton, N.H.K., Banks, A.N., Calladine, J.R., Austin, G.E., Armitage, M.J & Holloway, S.J

British Trust for Ornithology

2004

From the executive summary: "Since a first survey of gulls using inland roosts in England in January 1953, gulls have been counted at winter roost sites in England, and later in the rest of the UK, every 10 years. The latest survey covers the winters of 2003/04 to 2005/06 and aims to provide population estimates for the five main species that winter in the country: Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, Common Gull L. canus, Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus, Herring Gull L. argentatus and Great Black-backed Gull L. marinus. In this report, we compare results obtained from roost sites surveyed in January 2004 with data from the same sites from earlier surveys in order to evaluate how wintering populations of these species have changed over the last five decades."

Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America

Klaus Malling Olsen

Christopher Helm

2003

"The standard text on the identification of the northern hemisphere's gulls, this book covers the plumage variation through age and subspecies of all 80 species in the region. With exhaustive coverage, detailed maps, and superb plates and photos, this book remains the definitive work on these birds, which represent the trickiest of all ID challenges."

Gulls Of North America, Europe, and Asia

Klaus Malling Olsen

Princeton University Press

2003

"The gulls are a large family of seabirds, familiar and distinctive as a group, but one of the most challenging to separate at the species level, especially in their various stages of immature plumage. This guide offers the most comprehensive treatment ever published on the gulls of North America, Europe, and Asia. Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson treat a total of forty-three species - each depicted in considerable detail, with a full description of every plumage and racial variation. The text is complemented not only by superb color paintings by Larsson, but also by 800 color photographs. Gulls explore a variety of habitats, consume a wide range of food, and are often extremely abundant. They are also great wanderers, with several American species often appearing in Western Europe and vice versa. As well as identification criteria, this book includes an up-to-date assessment of the range and status of every species, together with information on patterns on vagrancy. This important guide is published at a critical time in the development of gull taxonomy. The large white-headed gulls found in North America, Europe, and Asia comprise a superspecies complex, with the precise relationships between various components still under considerable debate. A thorough illustrative and textual treatment of the group is needed, and this book provides the most recent and complete overview. This is the essential reference to a fascinating and endlessly challenging group of birds."

Pilot Winter Gull Roost Survey (including Preliminary Details of 2003-04 Full Winter Gull Roost Survey)

G.E. Austin

2003

A 41 page report.

Winter Gull Roosts in the United Kingdom in January 1993 with Recommendations for Future Surveys of Wintering Gulls

N.H.K. Burton

2002

In Search of the Ross's Gull

Michael Densley

1999

This book tells the story of early encounters with the Ross's Gull in the Arctic. It also describes the biology, seasonal distribution and migration of the bird. Includes colour plates and an extensive bibliography.

Gulls: A Guide To Identification

P.J. Grant

Second edition

1997

Reprinted in 2010

"This second edition of Peter Grant's guide has been extensively revised and has been reset throughout. Importantly, a further eight species of gulls occurring on the west coasts of Canada and the USA have been added. The book now covers 31 species and has been increased in length from 280 to 352 pages. More than 280 new photographs have been added or substituted, bringing the total to 544, including 79 photographs for the eight North American additional species. The great increase in interest in gull identification since the publication of the first edition (and the author's series on that topic in British Birds) has helped bring much new information to light. As a result some revision was made to almost every text page and most of the identification drawings were improved in some way; in addition, changes were made to many of the distribution maps. These revisions and improvements were often quite minor, but others were substantial and important."

Gulls: A Guide To Identification

P.J. Grant

Second edition

1997

"The Second Edition of Gulls: A Guide to Identification incorporates a great deal of new information discovered since the last edition. Most of the entries have been updated, and the species drawings and distribution maps have been improved. Gulls details 31 species, and includes a new section on eight extra species which occur on the west coast of Canada and the United States. The book now features all species and subspecies which occur regularly in the whole of North America."

Impact Of Sea Gull Presence On The Reproductive Success And Vigilance Behaviour Of Common Terns In Kouchibouguac National Park, New Brunswick

Parks Canada

A 10 page report.

A Guide to the Winter Gulls of Northern New England

Peter Hunt

1996

"A guide to help birders distinguish among the confusing gull plumages most commonly seen in northern New England, with a few unusual species thrown in; also notes on summer plumages."

Ecology and Behavior of Gulls : Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Colonial Waterbird Group and the Pacific Seabird Group, San Francisco, California, 6 December 1985

Editors: Judith Latta Hand, William E. Southern, and Kees Vermeer

Cooper Ornithological Society

1987

Contents;

• Preface - F. A. Pitelka
• Gull Research in the 1980s: Symposium Overview - W. E. Southern
• Constraints on Clutch Size in the Glaucous-winged Gull - W. V. Reid
• Sex Ratio Skew and Breeding Patterns of Gulls: Demographic and Toxicological Considerations - D. M. Fry, C. K. Toone, S. M. Speich, and R. J. Peard
• Survivorship and Mortality Factors in a Population of Western Gulls - L. B. Spear, T. M. Penniman, J. F. Penniman, H. R. Carter and D. G. Ainley
• Effects of Increased Population Size in Herring Gulls on Breeding Success and Other Parameters - A. L. Spaans, A. A. N. de Wit, and M. A. van Vlaardingen
• Selective Factors Affecting Clutch Size in the Western Gull on the Farallon Islands, California - M. C. Coulter
• A Comparison of Some Adaptations of Herring and Ring-billed Gull Chicks to Their Natal Environment - L. M. Uin
• Time-partitioning of Clutch and Brood Care Activities in Herring Gulls: A Measure of Parental Quality? - R. D. Morris
• Do Adult Gulls Recognize Their Own Young: An Experimental Test - J. G. Galusha and R. L. Carter
• A Simulation Model of Flock Formation in Ring-billed Gulls - R. M. Evans
• Spatial and Temporal Aspects of Franklin's Gull Flocks - J. G. Kopachena
• Neighbor Interactions and Cooperation among Breeding Herring Gulls: An Alternative Interpretation of Gull Territoriality - G. W. Shugart and M. A. Fitch
• Foraging Efficiency in Gulls: A Congeneric Comparison of Age Differences in Efficiency and Age of Maturity - J. Burger
• Foraging Patterns and Prey Selection by Avian Predators: A Comparative Study in Two Colonies of California Gulls - J. R. Jehl, Jr. and C. Chase III
• Proximate Mechanisms Affecting Dietary Switches in Breeding Gulls - C. Annett
• Diets of Glaucous-winged Gulls: A Comparison of Methods for Collecting and Analyzing Data - D. B. Irons
• Predatory Behavior of Yellow-footed Gulls toward Heermann's Gull Chicks at Dense and Scattered Nesting Sites - E. Velarde
• Habitat and Nest-site Selection of Mew and Glaucous-winged Gulls in Coastal British Columbia - K. Vermeer and K. Devito
• Behavioral Consequences of Habitat Selection in the Herring Gull - R. Pierotti 1
• Seasonal Distribution of Foraging Gulls at Florida Landfills - S. R. Patton
• Patterns of Distribution of Diurnally Roosting Gulls in a Coastal Marine Environment - G. Chilton and S. G. Sealy
• Hybridization of Glaucous and Herring Gulls in Iceland - A. Ingolfsson

Gulls and Plovers: The Ecology and Behaviour of Mixed Species Feeding Groups

C.J. Barnard and D.B. Thompson

1985

A 320 page study.

Pattern, Mechanism & Adaptive Significance of Territoriality in Herring Gulls

Joanna Burger

American Ornithologists' Union

1984

A 92 page study.

Contents:

• Introduction
• Methods
• Spatial Pattern Of Nesting Territories
• Aggressive Behavior And The Mechanism Of Territoriality
• Reproductive Success In Herring Gulls
• Aggression, Territory Size, And Reproductive Success
• Discussion
• Summary

Gulls: A Guide To Identification

P.J. Grant

1982

This book is an enlarged and revised version of papers previously published in the journal British Birds Vols 71-74. A second edition was published in 1997.

Marine Birds Of The Southeastern United States And Gulf Of Mexico

Roger B. Clapp, Richard C. Banks, Deborah Morgan-Jacobs, and Wayne A. Hoffman

U.S. Department Of The Interior

1982

Published in three parts.

Part I: Gaviiformes through Pelecaniformes (March 1982)

From the preface: "Part I of the Marine Birds of the Coastal Southeastern United States is published by the National Coastal Ecosystems Team to provide a synthesis and analysis of information about marine birds in this area. Accounts for 39 species include information on distribution, abundance, food habits, breeding ecology, and susceptibility to oil pollution. Selected bibliographies follow each species account and list additional sources of information."

Part II: Anseriformes (July 1982)

From the preface: "Part II of the volumes Marine Birds of the Southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico , published by the National Coastal Ecosystems Team, provides a synthesis and analysis of information about marine birds in this area. Accounts for 41 species include information on distribution, abundance, and susceptibility to oil pollution. More detailed information on distribution in the southeast and a summary of food habits and habitats utilized are presented for 17 species. Information on breeding ecology is summarized for 12 species that we think are most likely to be affected by oil pollution. Selected bibliographies follow each species account and Include additional sources of information."

Part III: Charadriiformes (September 1983)

From the preface: "Part III of the volumes Marine Birds of_ the Southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico, published by the National Coastal Ecosystems Team, provides a synthesis and analysis of information about the marine birds in this area. Accounts for 22 species include information on distribution, abundance, and susceptibility to oil pollution. Also included is information on the breeding biology of 16 species abundant in the southeast as breeding birds, winter residents, or migrants. Selected bibliographies follow each species account and include additional sources of information."

Black-headed Gull

Richard Vaughan

British Museum Natural History picture books

William Heinemann

1981

Black-headed Gull

Jon Fjeldsa

AV_Media

1978

A Field Guide To Seabirds of Britain and the World

Gerald Tuck and Hermann Heinzel

1978

Gulls on the Niagara Frontier

Robert F. Andrle

1977

Excerpt: "Bordered by two of the Great Lakes and crossed by a major river, the Niagara Frontier Region, which includes the western portion of New York State and part of the Niagara peninsula of Ontario, is an outstanding area for gulls. It is one of the very best areas in North America, and probably in the world, for viewing large numbers and a great variety of these fascinating birds. Sixteen species plus one subspecies have been recorded here so far, and keen observers have tallied 13 species in one day on the Niagara River. At times in fall, there have been over 100,000 gull present in the region, most of them on the Niagara."

Gulls: A Social History

Frank Graham

1975

An examination of the relationship between humans and gulls.

A Seabirds of Britain and Ireland

Stanley Cramp, W.R.P. Bourne, David Saunders

Collins

1974

Includes four colour plates, line drawings and distribution maps.

Gulls in Britain

Richard Vaughan

1972

A short guide to the gulls of Britain with emphasis on the common species. Includes black & white photographs.

The Herring Gull and Its Egg

Editors: G.P. Baeends and R.H. Drent

E. J. Brill

1970

Signals for Survival

Niko Tinbergen and Hugh Falkus

Oxford University Press

1970

This book interprets the "sign-language" of the Lesser Black-backed Gull. It is based on a 1969 television documentary.

The Ontogeny of an Instinct: The Pecking Response in Chicks of the Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla L.) and Related Species

Jack P. Hailman

E. J. Brill

1967

From the abstract: "Stereotyped, species-common behavior patterns have often been called "instinctive," implying that experience is unnecessary for their ontogenetic development. The ontogeny of a behavior pattern typically cited as instinctive, the pecking response of the gull chick, was analyzed experimentally in the Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla), the American Herring Gull (L. argentatus smithsonianus), and the Galapagos Swallow-tailed Gull (L. furcatus)."

Evolution Of Some Arctic Gulls (Larus): An Experimental Study Of Isolating Mechanisms

N.G. Smith

American Ornithologists' Union

1966

A 99 page study.

Water-Birds With Webbed Feet

Paul Geroudet

Blandford

1965

Originally published in Switzerland.

Covers webbed feet birds of Western Europe.

Predators and Anti-Predator Behaviour of the Black-Headed Gull (Larus Ridibundus L.)

Hans Kruuk

E. J. Brill

1964

From the abstract: "Behavioural mechanisms have been studied which protect the blackheaded gull (Larus ridibundus) against predators. The work has been carried out entirely in the field, mostly in a gull colony in the north of England, and consists of observations and experiments on predation upon the gulls, on the reactions of the birds to predators, and the effects these reactions have on predation."

Bird Study, Volume 9, Issue 2

Main articles:

• Weights of Pink footed Geese in autumn - J. V. Beer & H. Boyd
• Difficulties in the ageing of the Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull - M. P. Harris
• Nightjar Enquiry, 1957–58 - J. Stafford
• Autumn sexual behaviour of the Tree Sparrow - Z. Pielowski & J. Pinowski
• Egg shell removal by the Black-headed Gull (Larus r. ridibundus L.) II. The effects of experience on the response to colour - N. Tinbergen, H. Kruuk & M. Paillette

Bird Study, Volume 9, Issue 1

Main articles:

• The pecking response of young Kittiwakes and a Black-headed Gull foster chick - E. Cullen & J. M. Cullen
• The autumn movements of the Woodpigeon - R. K. Murton & M. G. Ridpath
• British ringing recoveries of the Black-headed Gull - Mrs. M. C. Radford
• Census of Black-headed Gull colonies in England and Wales, 1958 - F. C. Gribble
• Census of Black-headed Gull colonies in Scotland, 1958 - Frank D. Hamilton

Hostile and Sexual Behavior Patterns of South American and Pacific Laridae

M. Moynihan

E. J. Brill

1962

From the abstract: "This paper includes descriptions and analyses of some hostile and sexual behavior patterns, especially ritualized signal patterns or displays, of the following South American and Pacific Laridae: the Chilean Great Skua (Stercorarius skua chilensis), the Gray Gull (Larus modestus), the Dusky Gull (L. fuliginosus), the Swallow-tailed Gull (L. furcatus), the Patagonian Brown-headed Gull (L. ridibundus maculipennis), the Andean Gull (L. serranus), the Gray-headed Gull (L. cirrocephalus), the Dolphin Gull (L. scoresbii), Belcher's Gull (L. belcheri), the Kelp Gull (L. dominicanus), the Brown Noddy (Anoüs stolidus), the Black Noddy (A. tenuirostris), the White Noddy (A. albus), and the Inca Tern (Larosterna inca)."

The Herring Gull's World: A Study Of The Social Behaviour Of Birds

Niko Tinbergen

The New Naturalist Monograph 9

1953

A 255 page study of the life history and habits of the Herring Gull. Includes black and white photographs, sketches, charts and maps.

The Gulls (Laridae) Of The World: Their Plumages, Moults, Variations, Relationships And Distribution

J. Dwight

1925

Seagulls In London

W. H. Hudson

1922

A limited edition 4 page leaflet. The text was originally published as a letter in The Observer in January 1921.

The Life Of The Common Gull: Told In Photographs

C. Rubow

1911

An English translation of a book originally published in Danish.

29 pages of which 19 pages are black and white photographs and 6 pages are text.

Gulls

Howard Saunders

Educational Series No. 19

Society for the Protection of Birds

1890's

A 4 page guide that covers the Brown-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backer Gull and Kittiwake Gull. Provides a brief description and information on distribution, numbers, food, characteristics, protection, plus one and a half pages of general remarks.

Catalogue Of The Gaviae And Tubinares In The Collection Of The British Museum

Gaviae (Terns, Gulls and Skuas): Howard Saunders

Tubinares (Petrels and Albatrosses): Osbert Salvin

Printed By Order Of The Trustees

Sold by: Longman & Co.; B. Quaritch; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.; and at the British Museum (Natural History)

1896

Preface:

"It has been a fortunate circumstance that for the preparation of the present Volume the cooperation of Mr. H. Saunders and Mr. 0. Salvin could be secured, who for many years past have made the Birds of the families of Gulls and Petrels the special subject of their respective studies. As also the collections formed by these gentlemen have been incorporated with the series in the British Museum, the latter possesses of both these groups a collection unrivalled as to its intrinsic value, if not also as to the number of species and specimens. According to the lists given, this Collection consists now of Gaviae 115 and Tubinares 109. Among the Tubinares only, some of the species (15) are not represented in the Collection. Beside the many friends and correspondents who have rendered material assistance in the preparation of this Volume by the loan or gift of specimens, and who "will be enumerated in the introductory remarks of the Authors, I have to refer specially to the authorities of the United States National Museum and to the Hon. W. Rothschild, of whom the former sent important types for comparison, whilst the latter placed the whole of his rich collection at the disposal of Ihe Authors. I have acceded with pleasure to the request of the Director of the Museum to see through the press this and the two remaining Volumes for which the arrangements were made during my term of office. Finally, this would seem to be an appropriate place to pay a tribute to the memory of Henry Seebohm, by whose death, on November 26th, Ornithology has lost a most earnest and ardent student and the British Museum one of its most generous friends and benefactors. For the past fifteen years he took a deep interest in the growth and arrangement of the Collection of Birds in the British Museum, contributing, without stint, either from his own Collection or by special purchase, any specimens that were required to complete the Museum series or to aid in the preparation of the Catalogue. In the latter work he took an active part as the author of the Fifth Volume, which treated of the Warblers and Thrushes. After presenting his immense Collection of Eggs, and incorporating it with that of the Museum, he undertook and completed a Manuscript Catalogue of the whole. By his Will he conferred his last benefit on the Museum, bequeathing to the Trustees the entire Collection which at the time of his death was still in his possession."