Larus
Larus is a genus of gulls in the family Laridae. Its species include the herring gull and the great black-backed gull.
Laridae: Laridae is the bird family comprising gulls, terns, and skimmers. Larus is one genus within this broader seabird family.
Herring gull: The herring gull is a large, widespread gull found across northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is one of the best-known species classified in Larus.
Seabird: A seabird is a bird adapted to feeding or living in marine environments. Many Larus species forage along coasts and depend on marine food webs.
Chroicocephalus: Chroicocephalus is a genus of gulls that includes the black-headed gull and the gray-headed gull. These smaller, often hooded gulls belong to a different genus from Larus.
Gull: A gull is a seabird in the family Laridae, typically with a stout bill and webbed feet. Larus species are gulls, sharing the group’s defining body plan.
Great black-backed gull: The great black-backed gull is the largest living gull, breeding around the North Atlantic. It represents the genus’s largest-bodied species.
Kleptoparasitism: Kleptoparasitism is the theft of food or prey obtained by another animal. Some gulls, including Larus species, steal food from other birds.
Leucophaeus: Leucophaeus is a genus of gulls that includes the laughing gull and the lava gull. Its species are close taxonomic neighbors but are not classified in Larus.
Charadriiformes: Charadriiformes is a diverse order of birds that includes gulls, shorebirds, and auks. This order places Larus among its wider range of aquatic and coastal birds.
Lesser black-backed gull: The lesser black-backed gull is a migratory gull that breeds mainly in Europe and winters farther south. Its long-distance movements illustrate migration in Larus.