Laughing Gull

Larus atricilla

Order CHARADRIIFORMES - Family LARIDAE - Subfamily Larinae

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

A smallish gull with a black head, the Laughing Gull is abundant along the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Infrequently found away from the ocean, it takes advantage of human habitat modifications, foraging in parking lots and dumps, and breeding on dredge spoil islands.

Cool Facts

• Nest colonies in northeastern United States were nearly eliminated by egg and plume hunters in the late 19th century. Populations have increased over the last century, following protection.

• The male and female Laughing Gull usually build their nest together. If a male cannot find a mate, he may start building a nest platform and then use it to attract a female.

• The adult Laughing Gull removes the eggshells from the nest after the eggs hatch. If the shells are not removed, a piece can become lodged on top of the slightly smaller unhatched third egg and prevent it from hatching.

• The Laughing Gull is normally diurnal, being active during the day. During the breeding season it forages at night as well. It usually looks for food along the beach at night, but will also hover to catch insects around lights.

Description

• Size: 39-46 cm (15-18 in)
• Wingspan: 92-120 cm (36-47 in)
• Weight: 203-371 g (7.17-13.1 ounces)

• Medium-sized gull.
• Back slatey gray.
• Underparts white.
• Wingtips black, without extensive white markings.
• Entire head black in breeding season.

Breeding (Alternate) plumage: Entire head black, forming a hood. White crescents above and below eyes. Back dark gray. Outer primaries black, with no white spots, or only small spots at the very tips. Black outer primaries contrast with gray rest of wing, from above or below. White line along trailing edge of wing. Tail white. Underparts white. Bill reddish. Legs reddish black.
Non-breeding (Basic) plumage: Head white, with blackish marking from nape and ear coverts to just in front of eye. Bill black, may have red tip. Bill relatively long, with a prominent angle at the gonys (where the lower mandible is bent prominently), and is slightly drooped at the tip.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike; males slightly larger

Immature

Juvenile dusky brown overall. Head gray brown, paler on forehead and chin. Black spot in front of eyes, white crescents above and below eyes. Back and wings dusky brown with broad paler tips, giving a scaly look.
First winter (Basic I) plumage: Back gray, but wings brown. Head pale with dusky gray markings behind eye, darker and more extensive than adult's. Nape gray. Breast, sides of neck, and sides of flanks dark gray. Tail white at base with broad blackish subterminal band.
First summer (Alternate I) plumage: Like first winter, but paler. May have some black spotting on head. Underparts more white. Reaches full adult plumage in third year.

Similar Species

• Franklin's Gull is slightly smaller, with shorter wings and a smaller bill. Franklin's has a white band between the black primaries and the gray rest of wing, as well as white spots at the tips of the primaries. In winter plumage, Franklin's has a darker black and more extensive patch on the back of the head, resembling a half-hood rather than a smudge.

Sound

Very vocal. Common call a loud series of laughing notes.

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds from coastal Maine southward along coast to southern Texas. Also breeds in Caribbean and in isolated locations in western Mexico.

Winter Range

Winters from North Carolina southward through rest of breeding range to southern South America.

Habitat

• Nests in marshes, on beaches, and on islands along coast.
• Found along coasts, in estuaries, bays, and inland lakes.
• Feeds along the ocean, on rivers, at landfills, and in urban parks.

Food

Aquatic invertebrates, terrestrial invertebrates, fish, squid, garbage, flying insects, and berries.

Behavior

Foraging

Forages while walking or swimming. Will steal food from terns and pelicans.

Reproduction

Nest Type

A flat platform of marsh grass. Nests in colonies.

Egg Description

Slightly pointed at one end. Brown with black splotches.

Clutch Size

Usually 3 eggs. Range: 2-4.

Condition at Hatching

Chicks semi-precocial at hatching; may leave nest cup at one day old, typically stay on platform for several days. Covered in cryptically colored down.

Conservation Status

Nest colonies in northeastern United States were nearly eliminated by egg and plume hunters in the late 19th century. Populations have increased over the last century, following protection.

Other Names

Mouette atricille (French)
Guanaguanare (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Burger, J. 1996. Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). In The Birds of North America, No. 225 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.