Black-headed Gull

The Black-headed Gull is a petite marine bird, which comes from the genus Chroicocephalus of the family Laridae. The binomial name of the gull is Chroicocephalus Ridibundus, which means laughing gull, and it breeds in much of Asia and Europe, and it also breeds in the eastern coastal regions of Canada. The majority of the Black-headed Gull birds are migratory, and winters further south, but a few birds that winter in the milder westernmost regions of Europe are inhabitants. Some Black-headed Gulls will also spend the winter season in the northeastern parts of North America, where it was previously recognized as the common Black-headed Gull. Similar to several gulls, the Black-headed Gull had formerly been positioned in the genus Larus.

Features

An adult Black-headed Gull is capable of attaining a body length that ranges from 15 inches to 17.5 inches (38 cm to 44 cm), with a wingspan, ranging from 37 inches to 41 inches (94 cm to 105 cm). These are one among the most frivolous gulls in their genus with the body mass between 6.7 Oz and 14.1 Oz (190 grams and 400 grams).

During flight, the white colored leading edge to the wing of the Black-headed Gull is a fine field mark. The summer adult bird has a pale gray body, and features a chocolate-brown color head, even though it looks black in color when observed from a distance, black color tips to its primary wing feathers, and red color legs and bill. The hood of the Black-headed Gull is lost during the winter season, leaving only two dark spots.

The Black-headed Gull breeds in settlements in huge reed beds or swamps, or on islands in ponds, nesting on the land. Similar to all other gulls, the Black-headed Gull is highly sociable during winter, both when nourishing or during evening roosts. It is not a pelagic bird and is seldom seen at the ocean far from coastlines.

The Black-headed Gull is one among the few hooded birds that does not really have a black cranium during the breeding season. In Europe, the Black-headed Gull are seen scavenging in groups in parks, but it is infrequently found in this position in North America. Maybe, this variation is because it is generally seen associating with great herds of Bonaparte's Gulls, which do not consume refuse or forage food from humans.

The Black-headed Gull is a noisy marine bird, particularly in colonies, with a well-known "kree-ar" call. The Black-headed Gull will attain its maturity after two years of its birth. First-year gulls boast a black terminal tail group, darker spots on the wings, and, during summer, a less completely developed dark hood.

Diet

The Black-headed Gull is a brave and an opportunistic eater and will mostly feed on fish, insects, seeds, scraps, worm, and carrion in towns, or sometimes will feed on invertebrates in plowed fields with equal enjoyment.

Similar to most gulls, the Black-headed Gull is a long-lived bird, with a maximum age of 32.9 years recorded in the feral, besides an anecdote currently considered to be of uncertain authenticity about a 63-year old gull.