Andean Gull

About the Andean Gull

The Andean gull (Chroicocephalus serranus) is a species in subfamily Larinae of the family Laridae, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The Andean gull was long placed in genus Larus. Genetic research has established that Larus sensu lato is paraphyletic so the American Ornithological Society, the International Ornithological Committee, and the Clements taxonomy moved it and 10 other gulls to genus Chroicocephalus. However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retains all of them in Larus. The systems agree that the Andean gull is monotypic.

The Andean gull is 42 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in) long and weighs about 480 g (17 oz); it is one of the larger members of its genus. The sexes are alike. Adults in breeding plumage have a glossy black hood with a white crescent behind the eye and a mostly white body with a gray back and sometimes a pink flush on the underparts. Their tail is white. The upper side of their wing is mostly gray with an alternating white-black-white-black pattern on the primaries. The underside of their wing is pale gray with a blackish... Wikipedia →