IMAGES OF A RING BILLED GULL

 I was at the boat launch of Lake Howard in Winter Haven, Fl.

 when I took these images of a Ring Billed Gull (Larus 

delawarensis). The Cornell University's Lab of

Ornithology describes the Ring Billed Gull

 as a familiar parking lot gull that breeds in the inland parts of North

America.

                   

                               Current research indicates that many of these gulls return to their original feeding grounds and areas when they no longer receive handouts of foods. This gull's natural primary diet reportedly consists of fish, insects, earthworms, rodents, grain and garbage.

Other research indicates that large numbers of these "seagulls" never see salt water, but actually spend their lives in inland freshwater. They are also believed to return as adults to the same nesting areas that they were hatched at when possible.