The Herring Gull is less common in the area around the park, but like the Ring-billed Gull, it may occasionally wander over the park where individuals may become grounded in wintry weather or visit the park?s reservoirs and grasslands.

In Park: Records are from the Little River Road near Fighting Creek Gap (January 1936; late April 1952), near Chimneys Picnic Area (February 1948 and January 1966), Park Headquarters (December 1975), and Fontana Lake near Eagle Creek (January 1991) [records from Stupka (1963) and others].

References:

Stupka, A. 1963. Notes on the Birds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Gough, G. A., Sauer, J. R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.