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Birds

Birds

Common name Yellow-legged gull
Scientific name Larus michahellis
Type Seabirds
Status Resident

Large bird (approx 67 cm or 26.5 in) with a wide wingspan (approx 158 cm or 5 ft). It is a large gull. Grey upperparts and wings, white belly and head. Black wing tips. Yellow orange legs and bill, with a terminal red spot. Yellow iris with dark red eye ring.

Habitats

Marine and Urban environments

Where it lives

Very adaptable species, that occupies from cliffs and coastal rock fields, to open littoral beaches, nearby wetlands and especially the coastal urban environment. Artificial lagoons in golf courses.

How it lives

Resident all year round in the province and habitual breeder along the coast of Malaga, especially in coastal urban areas. One annual laying of 2 to 3 eggs from March. Nest located in flower boxes, roofs and rooftops. Very aggressive during the breeding period, especially when the chicks are hatched. Omnivore feeding, from vegetables to all kinds of animal remains and waste. Opportunist regarding all kinds of resources. Regular visitor to landfills and follower of ships to benefit from discards. It meets in large flocks to mass at the time of arrival at port of the boats, so it is usually heard at dawn over the cities.

Where it can be seen in Malaga

Frequent and abundant species in the entire coast of Malaga. Easy to observe in all the Coastal Path.

Curious facts

The Yellow-Legged Gull is the most urban gull species of all, so much that it habitually nests alongside man, on the roofs of houses and buildings and manages to capture doves and cage singing birds in terraces and roofs..

Similar birds
Present
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Wintering Summer Resident Migration
Audios