Hartlaub's Gull
Chroicocephalus hartlaubii
The Hartlaub's Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii) is a uncommon skimmers, noddies, terns, and gull found in 3 countries. Hartlaub's gull is a small gull in the genus Chroicocephalus.
About the Hartlaub's Gull
Hartlaub's gull is a small gull in the genus Chroicocephalus. It was formerly placed in the genus Larus until genetic research demonstrated that the old broad view of that genus was paraphyletic. In the past it had sometimes been treated as a subspecies of the Australasian silver gull, but is now treated as a separate species; current genetic evidence suggests its closest relative is not the silver gull but the African and South American grey-headed gull, and in particular the African subspecies of it C. c. poiocephalus.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Hartlaub's gull is 37–39 cm in length, with a wingspan of 89–92 cm and a weight of 235–340 g. It is a mainly white gull with a grey back and upperwings, black wingtips with conspicuous white "mirrors", and a dark red bill and legs. When breeding it has a very faint lavender grey hood, but otherwise has a plain white head. The sexes are similar. This species differs from the slightly larger grey-headed gull in its thinner, darker bill, deeper red legs, paler, plainer head, and dark eyes. It takes two years to reach maturity. Juvenile birds have a brown band across the wings.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Hartlaub's 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 Hartlaub's Gull?
- Hartlaub's gull is 37–39 cm in length, with a wingspan of 89–92 cm and a weight of 235–340 g. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Hartlaub's Gull?
- The Hartlaub's Gull occurs in 3 countries, including South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique.
- What birds look similar to a Hartlaub's Gull?
- The Hartlaub's Gull is most easily confused with the Andean Gull, the Brown-headed Gull and the Black-billed Gull.
- Is the Hartlaub's Gull endangered?
- The Hartlaub's Gull is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Hartlaub's Gull for real
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