Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Silhouette: Hans Hillewaert · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusChroicocephalus (Masked Gulls and allies)
- SpeciesChroicocephalus ridibundus (Black-headed Gull)
About the Black-headed Gull
The black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small gull that breeds in much of the Palearctic in Europe and Asia, and also locally in smaller numbers in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory and winters further south, but many also remain in the milder areas of northwestern Europe. It was formerly sometimes cited as "common black-headed gull" to distinguish it from "great black-headed gull" (an old name for Pallas's gull).
The genus name Chroicocephalus is from the Ancient Greek words khroizo, "to colour", and kephale, "head". The specific name ridibundus is Latin for "laughing". The black-headed gull was formally described in 1766 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other gulls in the genus Larus and coined the binomial name Larus ridibundus. Linnaeus specified the locality as Mari Europaeo or European seas.
Genetic studies published early in the 21st century showed that the genus Larus was paraphyletic with respect to other gull genera, and extensive changes to the taxonomy of gulls were made with many species of gull removed from Larus and transferred to other... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black-headed Gull in Chitwan National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Chitwan National Park
Pallas's Gull
Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
Black-bellied Tern
Sterna acuticauda
Red-wattled Lapwing
Vanellus indicus
River Lapwing
Vanellus duvaucelii
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Bronze-winged Jacana
Metopidius indicus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Small Pratincole
Glareola lactea
Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckii
Indian Thick-knee
Burhinus indicus
Ibisbill
Ibidorhyncha struthersii
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-headed Gull in Chitwan National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Gull sighting in Chitwan National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-headed Gull in Chitwan National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Black-headed Gull in Chitwan National Park in our monthly data.