Outlook 2000 in a Nutshell

Colophon

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The animal on the cover of Outlook 2000 in a Nutshell is a herring gull, whose common name is the seagull. An adult herring gull is a large bird with a white underside, a gray topside, black-tipped wings with white spots, pink legs, and a yellow beak. Adults reach a size of approximately twenty inches long, with a wingspan of up to sixty inches. Young herring gulls are a brown-gray color with black bills. They mature in color and size at around four years of age.

These birds live along the water in North America, primarily in Alaska and Canada and down the Atlantic coast. They also live in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan, as well as in several countries in western Europe.

They nest in large groups, have a typical loud gull call, are bold, and are excellent scavengers. They hunt for fish by diving into the water, though not totally submerging themselves. They also take young chicks and eggs from unguarded bird nests. Many can be found in or around garbage dumps, beaches, or parking lots, foraging for food. Though sometimes considered a pest, herring gulls help keep such places free of waste, so they are a protected species in many areas.

Colleen Gorman was the production editor and proofreader, and Clairemarie ...