GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
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The great black-backed gull is frequently seen around the Historic Triangle. A winter resident, it is the largest and most powerful of the family and easily identified by its slate-colored back, white wings tipped with black and pure white neck, tail, head and flanks. The eyes are yellow, ringed with red eyelids; and a red dot is prominent near the lower end of the bill.

The beautiful bird is a strong flyer, plowing through the air like a heavy cruiser breasting the seas. When it lands, it rides the waves with an unbelievable buoyancy, while casting a baleful stare at any passersby. The bird takes off from the water with powerful wing beats that swiftly gain it altitude to search for morsels of food.

The nest of this gull is merely a depression in the sand on the shores of some northern lake or sea. Sometimes the depression is lined with seaweed or decayed vegetation. Two to five eggs of a nondescript gray or buff color with darker blotches are laid. After the young are hatched, four years pass before they gain all the marks of maturity; and it is believed that, in comparison with other birds, the life span of this bird is considerably greater.

The great black-backed gull has several aliases, the most common being saddleback, coffin-carrier, cobb and wogue.