Brown-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus maculipennis
The Brown-hooded Gull (Chroicocephalus maculipennis) is a uncommon skimmers, noddies, terns, and gull found in 6 countries. The brown-hooded gull is a species of gull, found in South America in Argentina, southeastern Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Falkland Islands.
About the Brown-hooded Gull
The brown-hooded gull is a species of gull, found in South America in Argentina, southeastern Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Falkland Islands. Its specific epithet, maculipennis, means 'spotted wings'. Like the other species of the genus Chroicocephalus, it was formerly included in a broad view of the genus Larus.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adults in the breeding season have a dark brown head and throat with a white semicircle around the posterior of the eye, while the neck, chest and abdomen are white. In winter plumage, the brown hood is largely lost, retaining just a dark spot behind the eye and a dark smudge around the eye. The beak and legs are red, and the eye is dark brown. The outer primary flight feathers are white with black tips (the 'spots' of the scientific name) above and showing more extensively black from below, while the inner primaries and the secondaries and covert feathers are a silvery grey.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Peru.
When to see it
The Brown-hooded Gull can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Brown-hooded Gull?
- Adults in the breeding season have a dark brown head and throat with a white semicircle around the posterior of the eye, while the neck, chest and abdomen are white. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Brown-hooded Gull?
- The Brown-hooded Gull occurs in 6 countries, including Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and the Falkland Islands.
- What birds look similar to a Brown-hooded Gull?
- The Brown-hooded Gull is most easily confused with the Slender-billed Gull, the Grey-headed Gull and the Hartlaub's Gull.
- Is the Brown-hooded Gull endangered?
- The Brown-hooded Gull is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Brown-hooded Gull for real
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