GULLS & TERNS

Gulls are essentially birds of the sea. They have fairly stoutly built bodies with long wings, which project beyond the tail when closed. The feet are large, with the front toes fully webbed. They feed mostly on dead fishes, floating garbage, etc. There are marked seasonal changes in the color of the plumage in these birds during their growth. Terns are more slenderly built than the gulls. Their wings are very long and narrow and acutely pointed, enabling them to fly swiftly and constantly with grace and ease. Terns are also distinguished from the gulls in having both the mandibles of equal length, instead of the upper one being longer than the lower. The tail is more or less deeply forked and the legs and feet are short and weak, and although webbed, are seldom used for swimming.