Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

ORDER: Charadriiformes

FAMILY: Laridae

Description

A small, graceful Eurasian gull and a genuine rarity on the Texas coast that draws birders when one turns up. In winter it shows a white head with a dark ear-spot; in breeding dress it wears a chocolate-brown hood. Quick and buoyant, it plucks food from the water and shoreline.

Location

Texas

Habitat

coastal bays, lakes, and shorelines

Season

rare winter visitor to the Texas coast

Size

~15 in / 38 cm

Diet

fish, insects, and scraps

Conservation Status

Least Concern