SEALS OF ISTANBUL
Where the most beautiful view of Istanbul is, the seagulls are also there. If you follow the seagulls, you can see the beauties of Istanbul more closely. There is no city that is so intertwined with a bird. If the population of seagulls is added to the plate on the provincial border of Istanbul, it is the place; Human: 15 million Seagull: 65 thousand.
Seagull is derived from the Latin word Mare / Maritimus. Its meaning is as beautiful as itself; maritime
The most common gull species in Istanbul are the silver-backed gull and the black-headed gull. The larger the silver-backed gull, the smaller and more delicate the black-headed gull.
The Silver Seagull or the Silverback Gull is the most common seagull on our shores. They can reach 70 cm in length and 140 cm in wingspan. Average life expectancy is 32 years. Their most distinctive feature is their beak. It has red spots on the tip of its bright yellow beak. Their eyes are yellow and there are red-orange rings around the eyes.
The length of the Black-headed Seagulls ranges from 34-47 cm. Its wingspan reaches 100 cm. Average life expectancy is 30 years. It can be seen in Istanbul in winter. They migrate as the weather warms. In the spring, when the mating season comes, the tiny spot on their heads covers their entire head. This color change, the harbinger of mating time, gave the species its name.
The length of the Black-headed Seagulls ranges from 34-47 cm. Its wingspan reaches 100 cm. Average life expectancy is 30 years. It can be seen in Istanbul in winter. They migrate as the weather warms. In the spring, when the mating season comes, the tiny spot on their heads covers their entire head. This color change, the harbinger of mating time, gave the species its name.
If you want to see these two species in Istanbul during the winter months, go to the nearest pier and grab a bagel. Spend 15 minutes with the seagulls. Watch these immature children glide through the blue. As Can Yücel said… “Seagulls who are street children of the sea”
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