The most widespread pink-legged gull in North America, the herring is common in the east and mainly a winter visitor in the west. Hybrids can be locally common (mainly in the wescat). Polytypic.

Author says gull species are amazingly adaptive, and the Great Lakes area is a perfect spot to find many of them.

"We don’t demonise the herring gull, they are part of life on the coast, trying to live and thrive like us all," he stressed.

NEWCOMER The ring-billed gull, native to North America, was first sighted in Ireland in 1979, near Belmullet.