Short Description
The black-headed gull in nuptial plumage with its dark-brown head is very striking. The underparts, neck and wings are white, the upper parts light grey, The wings have black tips. In its basic plumage, the head is largely white with only the eye area black.
Features
Black-headed gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
dark-brown head in nuptial plumage
Diverse Laute
Tembrock, CC BY-SA 3.0
In the city
Black-headed gulls are near enough omnivores and in urban settings increasingly live on waste produced by humans. For that reason, it is mainly found in waste dumps or parks. In recent years, it has not only been found in parks close to bodies of water, but for example also in pedestrianised shopping areas.
Fun Facts
They roost on the water while swimming.
Black-headed gulls generally hibernate in Germany. In rare cases, they move to southern Europe from mid-August to early May.
The German name "Lachmöwe" (laughing gull) refers to the calls of these birds, which are remotely reminiscent of laughter.
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Sources
Habitus , Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lachm%C3%B6we_Chroicocephalus_ridibundus.jpg
Schlichtkleid, Richard Bartz, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lachm%C3%B6we_Larus_ridibundus_3_Richard_Bartz.jpg
Jungtier, Tintazul, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chroicocephalus_ridibundus_1st_winter.jpg
Witt, K. & Steiof, K. (2013) Rote Liste und Liste der Brutvögel von Berlin, 3. version, 15.11.2013. : Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. (eds.) Berliner Ornithologischer Bericht, volume 23, Berlin: Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V., 1-23.
Page „Lachmöwe“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 23.07.2015, 16:32 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lachm%C3%B6we&oldid=144317906 (Accessed: 12.02.2016).
Witt, K. & Steiof, K. (2013) Rote Liste und Liste der Brutvögel von Berlin, 3. version, 15.11.2013. : Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. (eds.) Berliner Ornithologischer Bericht, volume 23, Berlin: Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V., 1-23.
NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (2016) Rote Liste der Brutvögel Deutschlands. 5. version, published August 2016, URL: https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/voegel/artenschutz/rote-listen/10221.html (Accessed: 07.04.2017).