Laughing Gull

Overview

The laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a medium-sized gull found in North and South America, named for its distinctive laugh-like call. It is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger that breeds in large colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

Identification

• Summer adults feature a white body with a dark grey back and wings, and a black head that is mostly lost in winter.
• The wings are a notably darker grey than similar-sized gulls, featuring black tips without the white crescent seen in Franklin's gulls.
• A medium-sized bird measuring 36–41 cm in length with a 98–110 cm wingspan, possessing a long red bill.
• Identified by its raucous kee-agh call, which sounds like a high-pitched laugh of "ha... ha... ha...".

Habitat

This species breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, with northern populations migrating south in winter. Nesting sites are typically located on low-lying coastal islands, and the bird may occasionally appear as a rare vagrant in western Europe.

Diet

The laughing gull is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger.

Did you know?

The English name 'laughing gull' is derived from its raucous kee-agh call, which closely resembles a high-pitched human laugh.