Yes, a seagull is a bird. Seagulls belong to the family Laridae, which includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are medium to large birds with webbed feet, bills of varying size and shape depending on the species, and typically gray and white plumage. Some key characteristics that identify seagulls as birds include:
Feathers
Like all birds, seagulls are covered in feathers. They have contour feathers that cover their body and help retain body heat. They also have flight feathers on their wings that allow them to fly. The feathers are made up of keratin, the same protein that makes up human hair and nails. Seagulls moult and replace their feathers periodically.
Wings
Seagulls have wings for flight. Their wings have lightweight, hollow bones and are powered by strong chest muscles that attach to a keeled breastbone. The wings have flight feathers that can be adjusted to change the shape of the wing to provide lift and propulsion.
Beaks
Seagulls have beaks, which are made up of the same keratin material as their feathers. They use their sharp, pointed beaks to catch fish, pick up food scrap, and defend territories. The size and shape of the beak can vary amongst seagull species depending on their diet.
Reproduction
Seagulls lay eggs like other birds. Some species build nests on cliffs or on the ground to lay their eggs in breeding colonies. Once hatched, the chicks are altricial, meaning they are born helpless and require extensive parental care until they fledge.
Seagull Species
There are many different species of seagulls found throughout the world. Some of the major groups include:
Herring Gull
This is one of the most familiar seagulls with gray and white plumage and pink legs. They breed across northern North America, Europe, and Asia and are a common sight in coastal towns.
Ring-billed Gull
Named for the black ring around its bill, this gull breeds in North America around the Great Lakes and northeastern coast. It migrates south during winter.
Laughing Gull
A medium-sized gull with a black head and red beak found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America. It gets its name from its loud, laughing call.
Franklin’s Gull
This striking gull has a gray body, black head, and red feet and bill. It breeds on the prairies of North America and migrates in large flocks along coasts during winter.
Kelp Gull
A large gull species native to the coasts of South America. They have gray and white plumage with yellow legs and a reddish spot near the tip of their bill.
Black-headed Gull
As its name suggests, this species has a dark chocolate brown head with a white body and red bill and legs. It is found across Europe and Asia.
Seagull Behavior
Seagulls exhibit many typical bird behaviors and traits:
Flight
Seagulls can fly long distances using their large wings to soar and glide. They take off from the ground by facing into the wind and flapping quickly. Their flight style over water involves stiff, shallow wing beats and holding their wings in a V-shape.
Diet
These opportunistic feeders have a varied diet consisting mainly of fish, insects, earthworms, amphibians, eggs, and even baby turtles. They also scavenge for food at landfills, docks, and beaches. Their hooked bills easily catch slippery food.
Communication
Seagulls make a variety of calls from laughing sounds to squawks and alarms. They can identify each other from their vocalizations and also use body language in communication.
Migration
Some gull species, like the Laughing Gull, are migratory, traveling vast distances between breeding and wintering grounds. Others like the Herring Gull may only partially migrate or remain in one region year-round.
Intelligence
Research indicates that seagulls have relatively large brains for their body size compared to other birds. They display complex behaviors like tool use, bait fishing, communications, and problem-solving that suggest advanced intelligence.
Relationship to Other Bird Groups
Seagulls are most closely related to:
Terns
Terns are coastal birds in the same Laridae family. They are smaller than most gulls, extremely aerial, and plunge dive for fish. Most species have gray, white, and black plumage and forked tails.
Skimmers
Unique birds with laterally compressed bills that they drag through the water to catch prey. Their lower mandible is longer than the upper. They live along tropical and subtropical coasts.
Auks
Auks are a more distant relative within the order Charadriiformes. They nest in large colonies on coastal cliffs and dive underwater to catch fish. Their bodies are adapted for swimming with wings serving as flippers.
Shorebirds
Shorebirds encompass plovers, oystercatchers, avocets, stilts, and sandpipers within the order Charadriiformes. They probe wet sand and mud for invertebrates and have long legs unlike seagulls’ shorter legs.
Conclusion
Seagulls are unmistakably birds based on their structural features like wings, feathers, and eggs. They belong to the Laridae family of gulls, terns, and skimmers within the diverse order Charadriiformes. While they occupy coastal habitats, they share many behaviors and adaptations with land-based birds as well. Their intelligence, flexibility, and ability to thrive alongside humans make seagulls a successful bird group found across continents. Whether diving for fish or squabbling over scraps, the sounds of these highly aerial birds are a familiar presence along every shoreline they inhabit.