Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)

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A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

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Adult Summer Plumage

Adult Winter Plumage

Color Photographs: © by and courtesy of John Cassady

Color Photograph: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)

Identification: Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 15-17 inches.

Summer Plumage: Back and wings gray, with the tips of the wings shading to black. Head black with a white eye ring and a dark, reddish bill. Breast and undersides white. Tail white. Feet dull, dark red.

Winter Plumage: Similar to the summer bird, but without a black hood. Head white with vague gray markings.

Immature: Head, back and wings dark brown with a white rear edge to the wing. Tail with an apical black band.

Similar Species:  There are several species of gulls with black heads in their adult, summer plumage. These species are best identified by the configuration of colors on the wings. The Laughing Gull has an entirely gray wing with a narrow, white, rear margin. The wings tend to shade to black toward the apex. Franklin's Gull has gray wings, but the apex of the wing has alternating black and white bands. Bonaparte's Gull has wings with a gray base (the secondary feathers). The outer, forward edge of the wing is white. The tips of the long, outer feathers (the primary feathers) are black. Sabine's Gull has a black outer, forward wing patch, and inner, white rear margin, and a pale gray inner, forward margin. The entire forward wing margin of the Black-headed Gull is white. The rest of the wing is light gray. The tips of the primary feathers are black. Finally the Little Gull is smaller than these other species. The entire wing is light gray and the rear margin with white. The Laughing Gull is the most similar to appearance to the Little Gull. However the Little Gull is much smaller (11 inches in length) and the gray coloration is much lighter than that of the Laughing Gull. The immature of the Laughing Gull can be distinguished from the immatures of these other species by its brown head. The heads of the other species are marked with white in some form or another.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Laughing Gull breeds or is resident along the Atlantic Coast from Nova Scotia to Florida and extends westward along the Gulf Coast to southeastern Texas.

Overwintering Range:  See above.

Habitat: The Laughing Gull is found along the coast in salt marshes, bays, and estuaries.

Food: Aquatic invertebrates, carrion, and fish.

Behavior:  The Laughing Gull is an adept flier. Wintering birds spend most of their time on beaches. The voice is a high ha-ha-ha-haah.

Reproduction:  The clutch consists of 3 brown-spotted olive-brown eggs. The eggs are laid in nest on the ground consisting of grass and other plant matter.