Black-headed Gull

Name: Black-headed Gull

Scientific name: Larus ridibundus

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 20

What are nature stars?

About: Found on farmland, wetlands and around the coast. Nests on saltmarshes, islands in gravel pits and reservoirs, sometimes in very large colonies. A small gull, about 38cm long. Silvery grey above and white below, with a chocolate brown head during the summer months which turns white for the rest of the year. These birds are sociable and noisy!

How to identify: The commonest small gull, and the first gull to learn before you try to identify any others!

Where: Common throughout.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 70
• Agility: 60
• Rarity: 10
• Cute factor: 20
• Traveller: 80

Fantastic fact: The latin name means 'laughing gull', and comes from the laughing call. However there is a Laughing Gull, which lives in North America. The Laughing Gull has a black head, unlike the Black-headed Gull which has a brown head.

Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc