Slender-billed Gull
Chroicocephalus genei
Medium-sized gull with a long, slender bill. Breeding adult has a clean white head and dark red bill, and frequently shows a strong rosy-pink flush to the underparts. Non-breeding adult similar, but may show slight smudge on the head. Immature has orange bill with small brown patches on the wings, most readily seen in flight. Compare with Black-headed Gull; note Slender-billed's longer bill, sloping forehead, and "snouty" profile. Breeds in colonies in inland and coastal wetlands, but restricted to coastal wetlands when not breeding. Away from main range, found singly or in pairs, at times in association with much commoner Black-headed Gull.
Identification
This species is 37 to 40 cm (14.6 to 15.7 in) long with a 90 to 102 cm (35.4 to 40.2 in) wingspan. It is therefore slightly larger than the black-headed gull, which it resembles, although it does not have a black hood in summer. It has a pale grey body, white head and breast and black tips to the primary wing feathers. The head and dark red bill have an elongated tapering appearance, and this bird also appears long-necked. The legs are dark red, and the iris is yellow. In summer, the breast has a faint pink colouration. This bird takes two years to reach maturity, as is usual in gulls. First year immature birds have a black terminal tail band, and dark areas on the wings.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Chroicocephalus genei
- Authority
- (Brème, 1839)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Chroicocephalus
Range and habitat
The slender-billed gull breeds in lagoons and lakes around the Mediterranean Sea and in similar locations in countries bordering the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean. In 2010 a successful colony was found breeding on an island in a mountain lake in Algeria. The lack of predators and disturbance allowed over 98% of the eggs to hatch. It overwinters on the coast in estuaries and bays. It feeds in deltas, marshes and grassland. It is one of a number of species of gull to feed on landfill sites.
- Breeding range
- PAL, AF : patchily on coasts and saline lakes of s Iberian Pen., s Europe, Black and Caspian seas and Turkey to Central Asia, Pakistan and coastal far nw India; Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia
- Non-breeding range
- to coasts of Arabian Pen. and w India
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
About half of the slender-billed gull's food is fish. It flies a few metres above the surface of the water and dives into the water when it sees suitable prey. It also probes in the mud with its beak to feed on marine invertebrates and catches insects in flight.<p>This rather uncommon gull breeds in colonies, nesting on the ground and laying up to three brown-spotted white eggs in a scrape sparsely lined with feathers and bits of vegetation. Incubation takes about 25 days and the young fly after another 25 days. Like most gulls, it is gregarious in winter, both when feeding and in evening roosts. It is not a pelagic species, and is rarely seen far from land.
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Turdus schlegelii
Orange-bellied and orange-billed brown thrush, endemic to the montane and foothill forests of Sulawesi and Timor. Generally above 2000 meters, but ranges lower to the mid to low 1000s in western Timor. Forages at all levels of forest, especially on the ground. Calls include low cups and loud, explosive chattering series.
Mountain Trogon
Trogon mexicanus
Fairly large trogon of pine and pine-oak forests in highlands; usually at upper levels in trees and often rather shy. Male is striking, with big, bold white squares on underside of tail. Female has broken white eyering on brown head and coarse black-and-white pattern under the tail. Elegant Trogon overlaps in range and can be told from Mountain by the coppery color on the top of the tail (male) or by the white stripe behind the eye (female). Also note the finely patterned tail on both male and female Elegant Trogons. The similar but smaller Collared Trogon is found mainly at lower elevation and has much finer barring on the underside of the tail.
Sumba Brown Flycatcher
Muscicapa segregata
An unremarkable drab, brown flycatcher, gray-brown above and pale below. Note the pale base to the bill. Juveniles have spotted upperparts. Found singly or in pairs in understory of lowland forest and edge. Limited to Sumba Island. Differs from Asian Brown Flycatcher in being shorter-winged, with a less distinct eye-ring. Separated from the larger Flores Jungle-Flycatcher and from the more rufescent Sumba Flycatcher by its bicolored bill. Song is a soft complex of disorderly high whistled notes, ending in a weak trill. Call is a thin, high-pitched whistle, “tseeoo.”
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