Ring-billed Gull - adult Larus delawarensis Monroe County, NY	Ring-billed Gull - juvenile Larus delawarensis Monroe County, NY

***Federal - MBTA***

    Ring-billed Gulls are the most common of our inland gulls.  They are seen at malls, parking lots, fast food restaurants, garbage dumps, lakes, rivers, etc.  They get their name from the black band on their bright yellow bill.  Ring-bills are quite noisy and gregarious and are considered a pest in many areas.  For the most part this species of gull is not shy and will take food if offered.  Ring-billed Gulls will nest inland, the adult and juvenile photographed above are part of a breeding colony found on the top of an abandoned building in a Rochester suburb.  There are many species of gulls found in New York State, although most are rare or coastal only species.  The best place to watch gulls is Niagara Falls in winter.  27 species have been recorded in one day and in mid-January the gulls can number in the hundreds of thousands.  Four species make up the majority of sightings- Ring-bills, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and the dainty Bonaparte's Gull.  Other species include Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Lesser Black-backed, Little Gull and Thayer's Gull.  Anything is possible.