Caspian Gull

Larus cachinnans

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreCoastalPlatform nestLarge · 1.1 kg

What the Caspian Gull sounds like

Sonogram of the Caspian Gull: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call, cri immature · Pont de la Pesrelle (Cuves), Manche, Normandie, France · CC0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

It is a large gull at 56–68 cm (22–27 in) long, with a 137 to 155 cm (54 to 61 in) wingspan and a body mass of 680–1,590 g (1.50–3.51 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 38.5 to 48 cm (15.2 to 18.9 in), the bill is 4.6 to 6.4 cm (1.8 to 2.5 in) and the tarsus is 5.8 to 7.7 cm (2.3 to 3.0 in). The Caspian gull has a long, slender bill, accentuated by the sloping forehead. The legs, wings, and neck are longer than those of the herring gull and yellow-legged gull. The eye is small and often dark, and the legs vary from pale pink to a pale yellowish colour.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Caspian Gull

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Caspian Gull

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 64 countries with regular records, and 10 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in India, Taiwan, Luxembourg, Ireland, Thailand, Morocco, Iceland, Tunisia, Syria, Faroe Islands.

About the Caspian Gull

The Caspian gull is a large gull and a member of the herring and lesser black-backed gull complex. The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and cachinnans means 'laughing', from cachinnare 'to laugh'.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Caspian Gull vs Glaucous Gull · Caspian Gull vs Pacific Gull · Black-tailed Gull vs Caspian Gull

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