Scientific name:
Larus marinus

Natural spread:
North America, Greenland, Northern Europe

co 65 cm until in the maximum 81 cm of total-length and a weight until 2 kg is coat-seagulls at all the biggest seagulls. Beside its magnificent size, the soot-black "coat" and (existing from this wing-upper side and the intervening back-plumage) the all-year offer sure recognition-characteristics to leg flesh-colored.

Only the 50-61 cm big herring-seagulls (Larus fuscus) have a fully white plumage and a dark coat as single similar seagull-type. Usually its coat is however somewhat lighter than with the coat-seagulls, also adult herring-seagulls have sallow legs and one somewhat daintier beak. From the size, the ice-seagulls (Larus hyperboreus) only are comparably with the coat-seagulls; its light-gray moving distinguishes it however unequivocally from these. In the way of life however, both big-seagulls show much agreement.

Spread Coat-seagulls brood Iceland, on the Färöern and the British islands as well as at Scandinavia's coasts, at rock-coasts and on inhospitable islands of the northeastern North America, Greenland. In the Brittany, the most southern brood-occurrences in Europe exist.

Reproduction Coat-seagulls nest individually or in larger colonies (on Iceland at times until 100 pairs); on the occasion of is it socialized with ice-seagulls and forms even assorted brood-pair. The nest of the coat-seagulls is a quite extensive construction u branches from seaweed, grass. ä. and it is erected in April of both brood-partners together. The 2-3 (more rarely 4) eggs (size 7,7 x 5,4 cm) become erbrütet (Legeabstand 1 days, brood-beginning before the last egg) for 26-30 days from both alto-birds, also this gray and brown bedunten squabs is looked after approximately together for 7 weeks with feed. In the North Sea*-area, coat-seagulls last as well as during the winter as also, less frequently, in the summer on, since sexually mature birds don't proceed regularly to the brood every year.

Way of life Natural enemies hardly have adult coat-seagulls, also its nests and boys are avoided by most robbers since the big, defense-ready seagulls fly dangerous fall-aggressions against nest-robbers. Other seabirds, both their offspring and the alto-birds themselves, coat-seagulls in turn often become dangerous. they carry off even small mammals, takes also with wastes, dead animals u, however. ä. before-dear. As "omnivores", they are very adaptable like most seagulls.