Also known simply as "seagull" these are common throughout Australia and are also found in New Zealand and New Caledonia, they are our most common gull and are found at virtually any watered habitat but are rarely seen far from land. Here they are always found on our beaches and can be a nuisance because of their raucous begging for our fish and chips, however if you see them when they are simply enjoying riding the wind as it comes over the beach you will see them in a more benign light.
The naturally feed on worms, fish, insects and crustaceans but have become successful scavengers, pestering humans for handouts of scraps, pilfering from unattended food containers or searching for human refuse at tips.
The male and female are similar but juveniles have brown patterns on their wings and a dark beak while adults have bright red beaks—the brighter the red, the older the bird.
Breeding is between August and December in large colonies on offshore islands, often two broods will be raised in a year and both adults share nest-building, incubation and feeding duties. Eggs are laid in a shallow nest scrape, lined with seaweed, roots and plant stems.