Black Headed Gull
Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve
What3Words
///thin.spill.bravo
The black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small, common, and noisy gull species widespread across Europe, Asia, and some parts of eastern Canada. Despite its name, its head is actually chocolate-brown during the breeding season and mostly white in winter, with dark spots near the eyes.
Identification:
Adult Summer Plumage: Features a dark chocolate-brown head (appears black from a distance), pale grey body, and black wingtips. The bill and legs are dark red.
Adult Winter Plumage:
The dark head color is lost, leaving a white head with a dark smudge or spots behind each eye, often described as looking like the bird is wearing headphones. The bill also appears duller.
Juveniles:
Have mottled brown spots on their upper parts and a distinct black band on the tail, attaining adult plumage after two years.
In Flight:
A distinctive feature in all plumages is the prominent white leading edge to the outer wing.
Habitat and Behavior:
Black-headed gulls are highly sociable and noisy birds, often gathering in large flocks. They are extremely adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including coastal areas, inland lakes, marshes, parks, farmland, and even urban environments like garbage dumps. They are not a pelagic species and are rarely seen far out at sea.
They are opportunistic omnivores and scavengers, feeding on insects, earthworms, fish, seeds, fruit, and carrion. They have a unique foraging behavior that includes head-bobbing while walking through shallow water to enhance motion detection of prey.
They nest in large, dense colonies, typically on the ground in low vegetation or on islands in wetlands. Both parents help build the nest, incubate the eggs (which are typically 1-4, green with brown splotches), and raise the chicks.
Black Headed Gull
Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve
What3Words
///thin.spill.bravo
The black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small, common, and noisy gull species widespread across Europe, Asia, and some parts of eastern Canada. Despite its name, its head is actually chocolate-brown during the breeding season and mostly white in winter, with dark spots near the eyes.
Identification:
Adult Summer Plumage: Features a dark chocolate-brown head (appears black from a distance), pale grey body, and black wingtips. The bill and legs are dark red.
Adult Winter Plumage:
The dark head color is lost, leaving a white head with a dark smudge or spots behind each eye, often described as looking like the bird is wearing headphones. The bill also appears duller.
Juveniles:
Have mottled brown spots on their upper parts and a distinct black band on the tail, attaining adult plumage after two years.
In Flight:
A distinctive feature in all plumages is the prominent white leading edge to the outer wing.
Habitat and Behavior:
Black-headed gulls are highly sociable and noisy birds, often gathering in large flocks. They are extremely adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including coastal areas, inland lakes, marshes, parks, farmland, and even urban environments like garbage dumps. They are not a pelagic species and are rarely seen far out at sea.
They are opportunistic omnivores and scavengers, feeding on insects, earthworms, fish, seeds, fruit, and carrion. They have a unique foraging behavior that includes head-bobbing while walking through shallow water to enhance motion detection of prey.
They nest in large, dense colonies, typically on the ground in low vegetation or on islands in wetlands. Both parents help build the nest, incubate the eggs (which are typically 1-4, green with brown splotches), and raise the chicks.