Greater Black-backed Gull
VU

Greater Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_black-backed_gull

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Greater Black-backed Gull faces population declines primarily due to climate change impacts on marine food webs, which affect the availability of fish prey species. Coastal development and human disturbance at breeding colonies have reduced suitable nesting sites, while pollution from marine plastics and chemical contaminants bioaccumulate in their tissues. Competition with expanding populations of other seabird species for limited breeding territories has further pressured remaining colonies.

Threat summary

Habitat

Greater Black-backed Gulls inhabit rocky coastal cliffs, offshore islands, and estuarine environments across the North Atlantic. They nest on cliff ledges, rocky outcrops, and increasingly on rooftops in urban coastal areas, while foraging in marine waters, intertidal zones, and coastal wetlands.

MARINE· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Laridae

Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed GullVU

Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

Unknown
Caspian TernCR

Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia

Unknown
Little GullCR

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Unknown
Olrog's GullEN

Olrog's Gull

Larus atlanticus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Greater Black-backed Gull classified as Vulnerable?
Greater Black-backed Gull is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Greater Black-backed Gull faces population declines primarily due to climate change impacts on marine food webs, which affect the availability of fish prey species. Coastal development and human disturbance at breeding colonies have reduced suitable nesting sites, while pollution from marine plastics and chemical contaminants bioaccumulate in their tissues. Competition with expanding populations of other seabird species for limited breeding territories has further pressured remaining colonies.
Where does Greater Black-backed Gull live?
Greater Black-backed Gull occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Greater Black-backed Gull?
The main threats to Greater Black-backed Gull are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.