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GALLERIES > BIRDS > CHARADRIIFORMES > LARIDAE > BLACK-HEADED GULL [Chroicocephalus ridibundus]    [plot on map]


Black-headed Gull Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Utterslev Mose, Hovedstaden, Denmark
GPS: 55.7N, 12.5E, elev=65' MAP
Date: May 21, 2023
ID : B13K3644 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Hejresøen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
GPS: 55.6N, 12.6E, elev=7' MAP
Date: May 21, 2023
ID : B13K3482 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Grotta, Reykjavik, Iceland
GPS: 64.2N, -22.0W, elev=4' MAP
Date: June 20, 2018
ID : B13K7682 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Grotta, Reykjavik, Iceland
GPS: 64.2N, -22.0W, elev=4' MAP
Date: June 20, 2018
ID : B13K7696 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Skogafoss, Iceland
GPS: 63.5N, -19.5W, elev=187' MAP
Date: June 19, 2018
ID : B13K7566 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Skogafoss, Iceland
GPS: 63.5N, -19.5W, elev=187' MAP
Date: June 19, 2018
ID : B13K7554 [4896 x 3264]

bird photography

Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Slimbridge Wetland Centre, England
GPS: 51.7N, -2.4W, elev=28' MAP
Date: December 28, 2011
ID : B13K1686 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Slimbridge Wetland Centre, England
GPS: 51.7N, -2.4W, elev=28' MAP
Date: December 28, 2011
ID : B13K1377 [4896 x 3264]

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Black-headed Gull Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Inn the Park, London, England
GPS: 51.5N, -0.1W, elev=58' MAP
Date: December 26, 2011
ID : B13K1091 [4896 x 3264]

bird photography

Black-headed Gull Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tokyo, Japan
GPS: 35.7N, 139.8E, elev=5' MAP
Date: January 15, 2011
ID : B13K6927 [4896 x 3264]

bird photography

Black-headed Gull Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tokyo, Japan
GPS: 35.7N, 139.8E, elev=5' MAP
Date: January 15, 2011
ID : B13K6938 [4896 x 3264]

nature photography

Black-headed Gull Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tokyo, Japan
GPS: 35.7N, 139.8E, elev=5' MAP
Date: January 15, 2011
ID : B13K6935 [4896 x 3264]

nature photography

Black-headed Gull Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tokyo, Japan
GPS: 35.7N, 139.8E, elev=5' MAP
Date: January 15, 2011
ID : B13K6948 [4896 x 3264]

nature photography

SPECIES INFO

The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Ironically, it lacks a black head in all plumages. 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 northestern North America, where it was formerly known as the Common Black-headed Gull. As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus Larus.

This gull is 38-44 cm (15-17½ in) long with a 94-105 cm (37-41 in) 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.

Gallery

Adult winter plumage in St James's Park, London

Adult summer plumage, North Devon coast, England

Two black-headed gulls in flight in winter

Juvenile plumage Black-headed Gull

Black-headed gull gathering nesting material

In flight with bread

Ringed Larus ridibundus in flight

Black-headed gull flock

Black-headed gulls fighting

Black-headed gull

Resting

In flight

June 2008

Mobbing a Herring Gull (bottom right)

In flight

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Larus ridibundus Look up Black-headed Gull in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.






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black_headed_gull's Range Map Click here to see the Black-headed Gull's range map!
Listen to the Black-headed Gull Song:



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