Gulls are seabirds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns (family Sternidae), and more distantly to the waders, auks and skimmers. Most gulls belong to the large genus Larus. In common usage, members of various gull species are often called sea gulls or seagulls. This name is used by lay people to refer to a common local species or all gulls in general, and has no fixed taxonomic meaning.