Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016
Seagull: Herring Gull, Ring-Billed Gull
The Profiles
Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
With their wheeling and whirling flight, seagulls are masters of the wind. The herring gull is the quintessential seagull and one of the most familiar on the East Coast. Their family name comes from the Greek laros, meaning “seabird.” 142 The name gull came into use in the middle of the fifteenth century, and it is thought to have come from the Cornish gullen or the Welsh gwylan, which mean “throat” and “wailing,” respectively.143 Before that time, these birds were known as mews because of their crying sounds.
Since medieval times, gulls were believed to be the souls of people drowned at sea. These birds were thought to possess prophetic powers and anyone who made a living on the sea used them for guidance. Sailors kept an eye on seagulls for indications of weather changes, and fishermen observed them to find schools of fish. According to folklore, a seagull spotted far inland meant rain or a storm at sea. Also, if a seagull landed on a ship, the voyage would be a good one.
There were negative connotations about seagulls, as well. Three or more gulls flying overhead was an omen of death, or if a seagull flew against the window of a sailor’s house while he was away it meant that he was in danger. In Greek legend, the sea nymph Ino, who was also known as the goddess Leucothea, could shape-shift into a seagull. In addition to the dove, the seagull was one of Aphrodite’s symbols.
Seagulls are highly intelligent birds. Herring gulls have been known to bait fish by floating bits of food on the surface of the water to bring them into reach.
Magical Workings
Most often associated with freedom, seagull is a mystical traveler of the realms. It is instrumental as a guide and guardian when journeying or traveling on terra firma. Call on seagull to communicate with deities and spirits. Place an image or figurine of this bird on your Samhain altar to aid your contact with loved ones at this sabbat or any time someone passes.
Seagull can provide clarity to messages and omens, especially those that seem particularly obscure at first. Known as an opportunist, it can help you discern your best prospects and live up to your true potential. Also call on seagull for spells to draw abundance into your life.
Make Connection
To connect with seagull energy, go to an ocean, a lake, or a waterway where there are gulls, or use an ocean sound recording that includes seagulls. If you are at the seaside or other body of water, watch the seagulls. If you are listening to a recording, visualize them. Listen to the rhythm of the water as you follow the birds’ flight. Allow your spirit to soar and whirl over the water with these masters of the wind. One will stay close to you to indicate its presence in your life.
Associations
Zodiac: Cancer
Element(s): Air, water
Sabbat(s): Samhain
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Cliodna, Dôn, Leucothea
Gods: Manannan, Njord
Ogham: Fearn
Magical beings: Fairies
Bird Identification
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Size: 22 to 26 inches
Wingspan: 54 to 57 inches
Comparative size: Red-tailed hawk to goose
Description: White head; hefty yellow bill with red spot; broad wings with black tips; light gray back; white underparts; dull pink legs; brownish streaks on the head and neck during winter
Range: From Alaska across northern Canada to the Maritime Provinces and throughout the United States and parts of coastal Mexico
Habitat: Fresh and saltwater shore lines, open ocean, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and urban areas
Eggs: Light olive, buff, or greenish with darker splotches or speckling
Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Size: 17 to 21 inches
Wingspan: 41 to 46 inches
Comparative size: Crow to red-tailed hawk
Description: Slim yellow bill with black ring; square-tipped tail; white head, neck,
underparts, and tail; gray back and wings; wingtips black with large, white spots;
yellow feet and legs
Range: Throughout most of Canada and the lower forty-eight United States as well as Mexico
Habitat: Fresh and saltwater, open country, and urban areas
Eggs: Pale olive gray with dark brown speckles
Collective noun(s): A colony, a flock, a flotilla, a gullery, or a squabble of gulls
142. Wells, 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names, 101.
143. Philip Durkin, Borrowed Words: A History of Loanwords in English (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 92; Nozedar, The Secret Language of Birds, 387.