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Story: Gulls, terns and skuas

Courtship

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Courtship

Red-billed gulls prepare for breeding in October, engaging in courtship behaviour. Pairs build a nest of seaweed or grasses before the female lays two or three eggs. There are more females than males in the breeding population, as females live longer. After mating, some males move on to a new partner, and two females might create pair bonds and raise the chicks together. This is the case for about 6% of nests.

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Department of Conservation

Reference: 10043230

by Rod Morris

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How to cite this page

Gerard Hutching, Gulls, terns and skuas – Red- and black-billed gulls, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6116/courtship (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 2 March 2009.