Black-headed Gull

About the Black-headed Gull

A small, graceful Eurasian gull and a genuine rarity on this side of the Atlantic, the Black-headed Gull draws birders whenever one turns up. In winter it shows a clean white head marked with a dark ear-spot and a slim red bill and legs; in breeding dress it wears a rich chocolate-brown hood - not truly black, despite the name. Quick and buoyant, it is elegant in flight.

Black-headed Gulls pluck food from the water and shoreline and glean insects on the wing, feeding on fish, invertebrates, and scraps.

In Texas the Black-headed Gull is a scarce winter visitor, most likely along the coast and on coastal lakes, usually a single bird picked out among flocks of the commoner gulls and terns.

A note from behind the lens: finding one means patiently scanning gull flocks, so once located, make the most of it - get low along the shore, wait for it to lift and bank so the underwing shows, and keep the pale bird crisp against darker water.