Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
Silver Gull

Silver Gull

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) is a familiar sight across Australia, particularly in coastal regions. This species is notably smaller than its compatriot, the Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus). With its striking white plumage, light grey wings adorned with white-spotted black tips, and a vivid red beak, the Silver Gull is an unmistakable presence along the Australian shoreline.

Identification Tips

Adult Silver Gulls measure between 40 to 45 cm in length, with a wingspan stretching from 271 to 314 mm. The adult's beak is a bright red, which intensifies with age and during the breeding season. In contrast, juveniles display brown patterns on their wings and possess a darker beak, which gradually lightens as they mature.

Habitat

The Silver Gull has adapted remarkably well to urban environments, thriving in areas of human activity such as shopping centres and garbage dumps. Its natural habitat, however, spans across various Australian landscapes, including beaches, shores, and estuaries.

Distribution

This gull species is widespread across all Australian states, as well as New Zealand and New Caledonia. It has even been recorded, albeit rarely, in the United States, where individuals are believed to have escaped from captivity.

Behaviour

The Silver Gull is known for its sharp and high-pitched 'kwarwh' call, a sound that resonates across its habitat. It is a successful scavenger, often seen pestering humans for food scraps and adeptly stealing unattended meals.

Song & Calls

The Silver Gull communicates with a variety of calls, the most common being a harsh 'kwarwh' that can be heard over long distances.

Breeding

Breeding season for the Silver Gull occurs from August to December. These birds typically nest in large colonies on offshore islands, constructing their nests on the ground from seaweed, roots, and plant stems. They may also nest in low shrubs or on jetties. Clutch sizes range from one to three eggs, and it is not uncommon for two broods to be raised within a single year. Both parents share responsibilities for nest-building, incubation, and feeding.

Similar Species

The Silver Gull should not be confused with the larger Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), which is referred to as "silver gull" in several languages but does not share its range.

Diet and Feeding

In the wild, Silver Gulls feed on worms, fish, insects, and crustaceans. Their opportunistic nature allows them to thrive near human settlements, where they readily scavenge for food.

Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Silver Gull as Least Concern, reflecting its widespread distribution and large, stable population.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Silver Gulls on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.