Ring-billed Gull

This is a species of gull that is abundant in North America and a scarce winter visitor to the western coast of Europe (del Hoyo et al. 1992). In Portugal, it is considered a rare, though regular, winter visitor. The pattern of occurrence of the species in the Portuguese territory is complex, with differences between age classes, the majority of records occurring between November and March (Catry et al. 2010a). On the Mainland, the species occurs singly or in small flocks, mainly in coastal areas such as beaches, river mouths and fishing harbours, but also in more inland estuarine areas (Catry et al. 2010a). In the Azores, the species frequents the same type of coastal habitats and may occur in greater numbers than on the Mainland, with sightings of flocks numbering several dozen individuals (Birding Azores 2014; Ornithological Reports). In Madeira, however, records of this species are scarce.