Biologist and writer Thor Hanson will explain why there is no such thing as a seagull on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.

Hanson will engage islanders with details about these opportunistic birds as part of Camp Orkila’s Marine Science Lecture Series.

Gulls belong to the Laridae family. They will eat just about anything, from fish or small rodents to ferry French fries and potato chips. Gulls have a salt excreting gland that enables them to drink either fresh or salt water. They nest in large, densely packed, and noisy colonies where they lay two to three speckled eggs. Larger gull species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, while two years is more typical for small gulls. They can live to be 15 years old and some have been known to live to be over 25 years old.

The 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series is free. Park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.