Are gulls and petrels related

Yes, gulls and petrels are related as they both belong to the order Charadriiformes, which includes a variety of shorebirds and seabirds. Within this order, they are classified into different families, with gulls in the family Laridae and petrels primarily in the family Procellariidae. Despite their differences in behavior and habitat, they share a common evolutionary ancestor, making them distant relatives in the avian family tree.