1. Seagull – Vanellus vanellus
A seagull is a medium-sized bird with a body length of 35-40 cm, a wingspan of 80-90 cm, and a weight of 250-300 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is gray, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic bang on the head. The seagull has long, thin legs and a beak.
The seagull is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
The seagull is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa, South Asia and Australia. The seagull nests on the banks of rivers, lakes and other reservoirs, among reeds or other coastal vegetation. It builds its nests on the ground, in a small pit. There are 3-5 eggs in the seagull's clutch. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 24-26 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The gull feeds on small invertebrates such as insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and worms. It can also eat small fish, frogs, and other small animals.
The seagull is a fairly common species, but in some regions its numbers are declining. The reasons for this are pollution of water bodies, destruction of coastal plants and poaching.
In Ukraine, the seagull was listed in the Red Book in the status of "Invaluable".
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko