What am I?
One of the gulls you’re most likely to see on the Essex shores along with the herring gull and black-headed gull. The UK is home to 40% of the entire world’s population of this gull.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Conservation Status: 🟠Amber
How to Identify Me
Similar to a herring gull, the lesser black-backed gull is slightly smaller but with a noticeably darker grey/black wings. It boasts a bright yellow with legs to match.
How Can You Help Me?
Despite being a common site on our shores, lesser black-backed gulls are amber listed. While their numbers had a slight resurgence, this positive trend now looks to be reversing.
With 40% of the world’s population living in the UK, their success here is critical to the species survival.
A significant lack of wild space and food consistently pushes them to seek out places where people are in their search for space and sustenance.
When you see gulls, please do your best to give them space, even if they seem keen to invade yours!