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Bird call
European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) call
The seaside's loud, laughing 'kyow-kyow-kyow' and long calls, now also on town rooftops.
Listen to the European Herring Gull call
A field recording of the European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) by Nigel Bentley, shared on iNaturalist. Listen for the European Herring Gull in coast and urban habitats.
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Sounds similar
Birds that sound similar to the European Herring Gull
These birds belong to the gull family, like the European Herring Gull, so their calls can sound alike.
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Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
A harsh, screeching 'kraaar' from noisy flocks on lakes, fields and coasts.
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Red-billed Gull Chroicocephalus scopulinus
Maori: tarapunga. A raucous scolding kraah around beaches and car parks.
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Southern Black-backed Gull Larus dominicanus
Maori: karoro. A loud laughing yodel and deep barking notes.
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Western Gull Larus occidentalis
A deep, hoarse long-call; the default gull voice of the San Francisco waterfront.
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Heermann's Gull Larus heermanni
A nasal, whining cow-arrk, thinner and more complaining than Western Gull.
Questions
Questions about the European Herring Gull
What does the European Herring Gull sound like?
The seaside's loud, laughing 'kyow-kyow-kyow' and long calls, now also on town rooftops. Listen to the recording above.
Which birds sound like the European Herring Gull?
Black-headed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Southern Black-backed Gull, Western Gull and Heermann's Gull sound similar.
Where can I hear the European Herring Gull?
SongLark teaches it in its Birds of England course.
How can I learn the European Herring Gull call?
In SongLark's Birds of England course, it comes in Level 6: Water & Coast. SongLark teaches it by ear with real field recordings.
Courses
Learn this call in
SongLark teaches the European Herring Gull in its Birds of England course. Each course plays real field recordings and brings every bird back for review just before you would forget it.
- In Birds of England, the European Herring Gull comes in Level 6: Water & Coast. That Level is about park lakes, rivers and the seashore.
Learn it with these birds in Level 6 of Birds of England
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Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
The classic duck's 'quack-quack-quack', loud and descending from the female; drakes give soft, rasping notes.
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Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Mostly quiet; snorts and hisses on the water, and a loud, throbbing hum from its wings in flight.
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Canada Goose Branta canadensis
A loud, honking 'ah-honk', given in noisy chorus from flocks on park lakes and in flight.
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Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
A sharp, explosive 'kowk' or 'pik'; a black waterbird with a white face shield.
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Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
A harsh, croaking 'fraaank!', usually in flight; a tall grey bird standing still in shallow water.
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Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
A loud, whinnying trill, like a horse laughing, from a small dumpy bird on ponds and slow rivers.
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Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
A loud, piercing 'kleep-kleep-kleep', often in excited piping duets along the shore.
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Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
A rising, bubbling 'cour-lee' that gives it its name, haunting over moors and estuaries.
Get SongLark
Learn European Herring Gull in SongLark
Install SongLark, sign in, and choose a course that teaches the European Herring Gull.
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