Common gull

Common gull
Adult in breeding plumage, Norway
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Laridae
Genus:	Larus
Species:	L. canus
Binomial name
Larus canus Linnaeus, 1758

The common gull or sea mew (Larus canus) is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Palearctic. The closely related short-billed gull is sometimes included in this species, which may be known collectively as "mew gull".^[2][3] Many common gulls migrate further south in winter.^[4] There are differing accounts as to how the species acquired its vernacular name (see Etymology section below).

The name "sea mew" is a calque of the Dutch name zeemeeuw.^{[citation needed]}