Laughing Gull

Laughing Gull

Taxobox
name = Laughing Gull
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_width = 250px
image_caption = Laughing Gull midflight
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Charadriiformes
familia = Laridae
genus = "Leucophaeus"
species = "L. atricilla"
binomial = "Leucophaeus atricilla"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758, Bahamas)
synonyms = "Larus atricilla"The Laughing Gull, "Leucophaeus atricilla", is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. It breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Northernmost populations migrate further south in winter, and this species occurs as a rare vagrant to western Europe, although there was a large influx into North-west Europe in late October 2005 when there was a minimum of 18 (and anywhere up to a possibly maximum of 35) individuals on one day in the UK alone. The Laughing Gull's English name is derived from its raucous "kee-agh" call, which sounds like a high pitched laugh "ha... ha... ha...".

This species is easy to identify. It is 36-41 cm long with a 98-110 cm wingspan. The summer adult's body is white apart from the dark grey back and wings and black head. Its wings are much darker grey than all other gulls of similar size except the smaller Franklin's Gull, and they have black tips without the white crescent shown by Franklin's. The bill is long and red. The black hood is mostly lost in winter.

Laughing Gulls take three years to reach adult plumage. Immature birds are always darker than most similar sized gulls other than Franklin's. First year birds are greyer below and have paler heads than first year Franklin's, and second years can be distinguished on the wing pattern and structure.

Laughing Gulls breed in coastal marshes and ponds in large colonies. The large nest, made largely from grasses, is constructed on the ground. The 3 or 4 greenish eggs are incubated for about three weeks. These are omnivores like most gulls, and they will scavenge as well as seeking suitable small prey.

Gallery

References and external links

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* "Seabirds" by Harrison, ISBN 0-7470-1410-8
* "National Geographic" "Field Guide to the Birds of North America" ISBN 0-7922-6877-6
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i0580id.html Laughing Gull - "Larus atricilla"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCente
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/laughing_gull_info.htm Laughing Gull Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Laughing_Gull.html Laughing Gull Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/birdguide/pool/tags/Larus%20atricilla Field Guide on Flickr]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Laughing gull — Laughing Laugh ing, a. & n. from {Laugh}, v. i. [1913 Webster] {Laughing falcon} (Zo[ o]l.), a South American hawk ({Herpetotheres cachinnans}); so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. {Laughing gas} (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • laughing gull — noun small black headed European gull • Syn: ↑blackcap, ↑pewit, ↑pewit gull, ↑Larus ridibundus • Hypernyms: ↑gull, ↑seagull, ↑sea gull • …   Useful english dictionary

  • laughing gull — karibinis kiras statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Atricilla atricilla; Larus atricilla angl. laughing gull vok. Aztekenmöwe, f rus. атлантический хохотун, m; ацтекская чайка, f; смеющаяся чайка, f pranc. mouette atricille,… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • laughing gull — noun a) A common European gull (Xema ridibundus). b) An American gull (Larus atricilla); in summer the head is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer primaries black. Syn: black cap, pewit, red legged gull, sea crow …   Wiktionary

  • laughing gull — a North American gull, Larus atricilla, having a high, laughlike call. [1780 90, Amer.] * * *       common name for the bird species Larus atricilla. See gull. * * * …   Universalium

  • laughing gull — laugh′ing gull′ n. orn a small, black headed gull of New World coastlines, Larus atricilla, having a laughlike cry • Etymology: 1780–90, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • laughing gull — noun Date: 1789 an American gull (Larus atricilla) having a black head in breeding plumage and black wing tips blending into the gray upper side of the wings …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Laughing — Laugh ing, a. & n. from {Laugh}, v. i. [1913 Webster] {Laughing falcon} (Zo[ o]l.), a South American hawk ({Herpetotheres cachinnans}); so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. {Laughing gas} (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Laughing falcon — Laughing Laugh ing, a. & n. from {Laugh}, v. i. [1913 Webster] {Laughing falcon} (Zo[ o]l.), a South American hawk ({Herpetotheres cachinnans}); so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. {Laughing gas} (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Laughing gas — Laughing Laugh ing, a. & n. from {Laugh}, v. i. [1913 Webster] {Laughing falcon} (Zo[ o]l.), a South American hawk ({Herpetotheres cachinnans}); so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. {Laughing gas} (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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