Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

A coastal powerhouse with distinctive yellow legs, this gull rules shorelines and harbours across Europe and beyond.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Yellow-legged Gull is a large, robust seabird with a distinctive white head and body, contrasting with its grey back and wings. Its yellow legs and feet are a key identifying feature, along with its strong, yellow bill marked with a red spot near the tip.

Adults display a white head in summer, while winter plumage shows faint grey streaking, and legs may become slightly darker. Both sexes are similar in size and plumage, although side-by-side, it may be possible to distinguish between sexes as the female’s bill is slightly narrower and shorter.

Juveniles have mottled brown plumage, gradually transitioning to adult colouration over four years.

Size

Length

52cm to 68cm

Wingspan

120cm to 155cm

Weight

550g to 1.6kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

White Grey

Secondary Colour

Black

Beak Colour

Yellow Red

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Yellow-legged Gull can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Yellow-legged Gull can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Yellow-legged Gull is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Yellow-legged Gulls primarily inhabit coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea, extending to the Atlantic coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal. They are also found along the Black Sea and parts of the Middle East.

In recent years, their range has expanded northward, with increasing numbers observed in the UK, particularly during post-breeding dispersal and winter months. They prefer rocky coastlines, islands, and urban coastal areas for breeding.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Mediterranean, Temperate

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Yellow-legged Gull. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons