The United Kingdom is home to a diverse array of white fishing birds. These birds rely on aquatic environments to find food and make their living primarily by catching fish. Some of the most common white fishing birds found in the UK include various species of gulls, terns, herons, and egrets. These graceful white birds can be seen along the coastlines, rivers, lakes, and wetlands of the UK gracefully diving to catch fish and other aquatic prey.
Common Gull
The Common Gull is one of the most familiar white fishing birds in the UK. This medium-sized gull has a wingspan of approximately 120-140 cm. The adult Common Gull has pure white plumage on its body and wings. Its legs are greenish-yellow and the beak is yellow with a red spot. Common Gulls breed around the coasts of the UK and also inhabit inland lakes and rivers. They feed on small fish, insects, worms, and other invertebrates. The Common Gull plunges from the air or floats on the water surface when hunting for prey.
Herring Gull
Considerably larger than the Common Gull, the Herring Gull is another ubiquitous white fishing bird in the UK. Adults have grey backs and wings contrasting with their white head and underside. They have pink legs and a thick yellow beak with a red spot. Herring Gulls have an impressive wingspan reaching up to 150 cm. They are coastal birds but also frequent inland lakes and rivers. Herring Gulls feed on small fish like herring, sprat, and sandeels. They also scavenge scraps, insects, crustaceans, and worms. Their fishing strategy includes diving from the air, paddling along the surface, and shallow dives.
Great Black-backed Gull
The largest gull in the world, the Great Black-backed Gull can also be found as a white fishing bird around the UK coastline. Adults have a white head, underparts, and tail contrasting with dark grey wings and back. Their huge wings can span over 170 cm across. The legs are pale pink and the thick bill is yellow with a red spot. Great Black-backed Gulls breed on northern and western coasts of the UK. They hunt for fish, including discarded catches from fishing boats, as well as scavenging dead animals and preying on eggs and young birds.
Black-headed Gull
During the breeding season, the Black-headed Gull sports a distinctive chocolate-brown head. For the rest of the year, the head is white like the rest of its body. This small gull has a wingspan under 120 cm. The legs are red and the bill is red with a black tip. Black-headed Gulls breed in large inland colonies across the UK. Outside of breeding season, they flock together on lakes, rivers, shores, and fields. They eatsmall fish, insects, worms, scraps, and carrion. Black-headed Gulls pick prey while wading, floating, or with shallow dives.
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a small white seabird with long, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail. In summer, adults have a black cap on their head and an orange-red beak with a black tip. Their upperparts are pale grey and underparts white. Common Terns breed in noisy colonies on beaches and islands around the UK coast. These agile fliers hunt for small fish and aquatic invertebrates by plunge-diving. They dive from heights of 1-6 metres to catch prey near the water surface.
Arctic Tern
The Arctic Tern is a slim seabird with very long, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail. The wingspan reaches 70-80 cm across. Adults have a black cap, red beak, and legs. Their back and upperwings are pale grey while the face, neck, and underside are white. True to their name, Arctic Terns migrate annually from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back! In the UK, they breed in coastal colonies before heading south. Arctic Terns are aerial plunge divers that catch small fish, crustaceans, and insects while skimming low over the ocean.
Sandwich Tern
Larger than other white terns at 40-45 cm long, the Sandwich Tern also breeds around the UK coastline. It has a black cap, heavy yellow-tipped black bill, and yellow legs. The wings are long and slender with a grey upper surface and white underside. Sandwich Terns nest in noisy colonies on beaches, marshes, and islands. They forage for small fish, diving from heights of 1-6 metres to catch their prey in shallow water.
Little Egret
The snowy white Little Egret stands at 60-70 cm tall with a wingspan reaching 90 cm wide. It has a long, slender black bill and black legs with yellow feet. Little Egrets breed in colonies called heronries, often with other heron species. Outside of breeding season, they hunt alone on saltmarshes, tidal pools, lakes, and along riverbanks. Little Egrets catch small fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects by patiently stalking through shallow water and spearing them quickly with their bills.
Great Egret
At 90-100 cm tall, the Great Egret is over 50% larger than the Little Egret. It has an even longer neck and bill with similar colouring. Great Egrets have a 150 cm wingspan and black legs with yellow feet. They inhabit wetlands across the UK and stab for fish, amphibians, and invertebrates in shallow water. Great Egrets often stand completely motionless to wait for prey to come within range.
Grey Heron
The common Grey Heron is a large, slender fishing bird standing at 90-100 cm tall. It has a whitish-grey body, long yellow bill, and powerful wings with a span of 175-195 cm. Grey Herons breed in heronries and hunt alone on inland or coastal waterways. They stand motionless in shallow water waiting for fish to come near. In a lightning strike, Grey Herons stab prey with their dagger-like bills. They also eat amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and insects.
Little Egret vs Great Egret
The Little Egret and Great Egret belong to the same genus (Egretta), which explains their close resemblance. However, the Great Egret is significantly larger in height, wingspan, and weight. Great Egrets average around twice the body mass of Little Egrets. Both species have snowy white plumage during breeding season. Outside breeding, Little Egrets develop elongated head and neck plumes while Great Egrets display feathery crests on the head and back. Little Egrets breed in the warmer south of England while Great Egrets inhabit central and northern UK wetlands. Despite their differences in size, these graceful egrets share very similar hunting behaviours and fish-dominated diets.
Fishing Adaptations
White fishing birds in the UK share several key adaptations that aid their piscivorous lifestyles:
- Long, pointed beaks to spear, grasp, and tear aquatic prey
- Long, narrow wings providing speed and manoeuvrability for plunge diving
- Webbed feet to propel through water while swimming
- Keen eyesight to spot prey above and below the water’s surface
- Slender, streamlined bodies to reduce drag while diving
- Water-repellent feathers staying dry and maintaining warmth
- Sharp claws to grasp slippery prey
Plunge Diving
The fishing technique most commonly used among UK white birds is plunge diving. This involves flying high over the water, spotting prey near the surface, folding back the wings and diving sharply downwards to catch prey in the bill or talons before resurfacing. Gulls, terns, and herons all regularly plunge dive in UK waters. Diving from height allows them to gain speed and power to successfully catch agile, slippery fish.
Wading
In contrast to aerial plunge diving, herons and egrets also use a stealthier wading technique. They stalk slowly through shallow waters with long legs and neck outstretched. Standing motionless for minutes allows them to strike rapidly when prey wanders within range. Their spear-like bills are perfect for catching fish with lightning jabs. Wading birds may also flutter wings or spread wings to create shade and lure fish nearer.
Pursuit Diving
Gulls demonstrate greater diving versatility than herons. If prey is already deeper below the surface, gulls perform pursuit dives to chase after it. They swim and paddle with wings and feet to propel themselves underwater. Their water-resistant plumage allows them to stay submerged for extended periods during these pursuit dives.
Opportunistic Feeding
While fish forms the majority of their diet, white fishing birds also feed opportunistically on other prey. Crabs, shrimp, frogs, molluscs, dead animals, bird eggs, rodents, and insects may also be consumed when the chance arises. Feeding on whatever is seasonally abundant provides a diverse diet. Their versatility also allows them to adapt when fish populations decline or migrate.
Declining Populations
Several UK white fishing birds have experienced population declines in recent decades. Contributing factors likely include:
- Overfishing of key prey species
- Disturbance of breeding colonies
- Pollution impairing water and prey quality
- Invasive species competing for prey
- Habitat loss of coastal wetlands
Conservation efforts to protect and restore habitat, limit disturbances, reduce pollution, and manage sustainable fisheries will benefit these birds. Monitoring programs allow ongoing assessment of population trends.
Summary
– The UK is home to diverse white fishing birds including gulls, terns, herons and egrets that rely on fish and aquatic prey
– These agile fliers and waders have specialized adaptations for piscivory including sharp bills and plunge diving behaviour
– Plunge diving from height and patient wading are used to catch fish lurking at or near the water’s surface
– Versatile feeding on diverse prey allows them to adapt to changes in food availability
– Conservation of wetland habitat and prey populations is important to protect declining white fishing bird populations
Conclusion
The coasts, rivers, and wetlands of the UK host an array of elegant white fishing birds specially adapted for catching fish and other aquatic animals. Gulls demonstrate aerial mastery to plunge dive and pursue fish swimming in the waters below. Herons and egrets wait with saintly patience for the chance to spear passing prey with lightning bill strikes. While abundant fish allows these birds to flourish, conservation efforts are needed to monitor and reverse concerning declines in populations of certain species. Protecting fragile breeding colonies, wetland habitats, sustainable fisheries, and water quality will help ensure the continued presence of these graceful white fishing birds across the landscapes of the UK.
