About the Grey-headed Gull
The grey-headed gull, also known as the grey-hooded gull, is a small species of gull which breeds patchily in South America and Africa south of the Sahara. It is not truly migratory, but is dispersive, becoming more widespread in winter. This species has occurred as a rare vagrant to the United States, Italy, and Spain. As is the case with many gulls, it had traditionally been placed in the genus Larus. Recent evidence suggests the South American and African populations may represent two separate cryptic species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The grey-headed gull is slightly larger than the black-headed gull at 42 cm length. The summer adult has a pale grey head, a grey body, slightly darker in tone than in black-headed gull, and red bill and legs. The black tips to the primary wing feathers have conspicuous white "mirrors". The underwing is dark grey with black wingtips. The grey hood is lost in winter, leaving just two dark smudges around and behind the eye. The eye is dark in immatures, but has a white iris in adults. The sexes are similar.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Grey-headed Gull sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Costa Rica, Colombia, United Kingdom, Morocco, Niger, Mayotte, Réunion.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus geneiThis species is 37 to 40 cm (14.6 to 15.7 in) long with a 90 to 102 cm (35.4 to 40.2 in) wingspan.
Brown-hooded GullChroicocephalus maculipennisAdults 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.
Hartlaub's GullChroicocephalus hartlaubiiHartlaub's gull is 37–39 cm in length, with a wingspan of 89–92 cm and a weight of 235–340 g.
Side by side: Brown-hooded Gull vs Grey-headed Gull · Grey-headed Gull vs Slender-billed Gull · Grey-headed Gull vs Sabine's Gull
Learn the Grey-headed Gull for real
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