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Black-headed gull

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Black-headed Gull
Winter plumage displaying the white head with black spots/streaks, St James's Park, England
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Laridae
Genus:
Larus
Species:
L. ridibundus
Binomial name
Larus ridibundus

The Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident. Some birds will also spend the winter in the northeastern United States.

This gull is 38-44cm long with a 94-105 cm wingspan. It breeds in colonies in large reedbeds or marshes, or on islands in lakes, nesting on the ground. Like most gulls, it is highly gregarious in winter, both when feeding or in evening roosts. It is not a pelagic species, and is rarely seen at sea far from coasts.

The Black-headed Gull is a bold and opportunist feeder and will scavenge in towns or take invertebrates in ploughed fields with equal relish.

In flight, the white leading edge to the wing is a good field mark. The summer adult has a chocolate-brown head (not black, despite the name), pale grey body, black tips to the primary wing feathers, and red bill and legs. The hood is lost in winter, leaving just dark vertical streaks.

This species takes two years to reach maturity. First year birds have a black terminal tail band, more dark areas in the wings, and, in summer, a less fully developed dark hood.

This is a noisy species, especially at colonies, with a familiar "kree-ar" call. Its scientific name means "Laughing Gull".

The Black-headed Gull is the prefectural bird of Tokyo and the Yurikamome mass transit system is named after it.

  • Adult winter plumage in St James's Park, London
    Adult winter plumage in St James's Park, London
  • Adult summer plumage, North Devon coast, England
    Adult summer plumage, North Devon coast, England
  • Two black-headed gulls in flight in winter
    Two black-headed gulls in flight in winter
  • Head in winter, white with black streaks
    Head in winter, white with black streaks
  • Juvenile plumage Black-headed Gull
    Juvenile plumage Black-headed Gull
  • Black-headed gull gathering nesting material
    Black-headed gull gathering nesting material
  • In flight with bread
    In flight with bread
  • Ringed Larus ridibundus in flight
    Ringed Larus ridibundus in flight
  • Black-headed gulls fighting
    Black-headed gulls fighting
  • Black-headed gull
    Black-headed gull
  • Resting
    Resting
  • In flight
    In flight
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Larus ridibundus.
Look up black-headed gull in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  • Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  • Harrison P. Seabirds of the World. Princeton University Press, Princeton (NJ), 1987 ISBN 0-691-01551-1
  • Dunn JL, Alderfer J. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America National Geographic Society 2006 ISBN 0792268776
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