Laridae – gull are generally heavy-bodied. They are long-winged sort of birds. They have a neck of intermediate length and tarsi of the same caliber. The gulls are divided into groups with distinctive characteristics. Some groups are large-white headed birds that occupy the south of the tropical islands. The small dark-hooded birds are also a part of the groups that cover this bird family.

Behavioral wise, the gulls are polygamous in nature. They mate with any other gull. They do not separate families. However, the male serves many females because they are fewer in number. They are known to be fast breeding and therefore increase in number within a short duration.

The gull has webbed feet. This way they can be able to walk on water since these are their main habitat areas. The webbed feet prevents them from sinking giving them a form of balance as they float on water. Their bills are slightly hooked. This means that they are well adapted to the environment they live. They are able to obtain food from their surroundings using the bills. The gull is also light in weight. The whole concept is to help them float over water with minimal challenges. Gulls are enlisted in the same family just like the terns. All are in the Laridae family.

The gulls reside mostly in high Arctic areas as well as the sub-Antarctic islands. These are the main regions hosting these birds. The temperate as well as the tropical seacoasts are also great places where these birds reside. There are also other species of the same birds. These birds inhabit the interior marshes such as those of the deserts and other inland rivers.

Many aspects within the region have threatened the birds. Their conservation has been tried severally because of the status of the birds. The vulnerability is due to the depletion of the environment. Pollution of the water bodies by the human activities has been one major causes of endangering these birds. With many water bodies facing extinction, the birds are reducing in numbers within time. The gull’s distribution is unique. They have developed a worldwide distribution element. They move almost in many parts of the world provided there are some water bodies.

Gulls are mostly white and black in color. They have shades in between the body. The part below the body is normally white in color. They hold a light gray color at the top of the body. They have a great belly that is white in color. The belly is important to the gull in helping during the diving process. Plunge diving is the main use of the belly to get fish which is the sole source of food.

The color assists the gull by giving a camouflage from the fish, which is the prey. The birds because of their adaptive mechanisms therefore easily catch the underwater prey. For all gull species, they thrive in large colonies. It is equally very difficult to distinguish the males and females. Few distinctions can be spotted in the two sexes.