Mediterranean Gull
Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
The Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is a common skimmers, noddies, terns, and gull found in 61 countries. The Mediterranean gull is a small gull.
About the Mediterranean Gull
The Mediterranean gull is a small gull. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus Ichthyaetus is from ikhthus, "fish", and aetos, "eagle", and the specific melanocephalus is from melas, "black", and -kephalos "-headed".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Mediterranean gull is slightly larger and bulkier than the black-headed gull with a heavier bill and longer, darker legs. The breeding plumage adult is a distinctive white gull, with a very pale grey mantle and wings with white primary feathers without black tips. The black hood extends down the nape and shows distinct white eye crescents. The sharp-tipped, parallel sided, dark red bill has a black subterminal band. The non breeding adult is similar but the hood is reduced to an extensive dusky "bandit" mask through the eye. This bird takes two years to reach maturity.
What the Mediterranean Gull sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, Luxembourg, Gambia, Jordan.
When to see it
The Mediterranean Gull can be seen all year round, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Mediterranean Gull?
- The Mediterranean gull is slightly larger and bulkier than the black-headed gull with a heavier bill and longer, darker legs. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Mediterranean Gull?
- The Mediterranean Gull occurs in 61 countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
- What does a Mediterranean Gull sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Mediterranean Gull on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Mediterranean Gull?
- The Mediterranean Gull is most easily confused with the Audouin's Gull, the Pallas's Gull and the Sooty Gull.
- Is the Mediterranean Gull endangered?
- The Mediterranean Gull is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Mediterranean Gull for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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