Common gull

The common gull, often referred to as the sea mew, is a medium-sized gull found across the Palearctic region, northern Europe, and northwestern North America. In North America, the local subspecies is known as the mew gull. These gulls migrate south for the winter, and there are several theories about the origin of their name. It is believed that the Dutch term "zee meeuw" which means sea gull, is the source of the name "sea mew."

Adult common gulls are smaller than herring gulls and can be identified by their tapered bills, grey upperparts, white underparts, and black wingtips with white "mirrors." They take about two to three years to reach full maturity. There are four recognized subspecies of the common gull, although some experts argue that two of these should be classified as separate species.

These gulls prefer to breed in colonies near water, typically laying three eggs. They have a varied diet and consume different types of food. The global population is estimated to be around one million pairs, with most residing in Europe. Common gulls are known to visit coastal eastern Canada during winter and are occasionally seen as vagrants in the northeastern United States.

The scientific name of the common gull is derived from Latin, with "Larus" likely referring to a large seabird and "canus" meaning "grey." The term "common gull" was introduced by Thomas Pennant in 1768, possibly to highlight their abundance or their tendency to feed on common land. The species is known by various regional names in British dialects.