White-eyed Gull
Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus
A unique medium-sized, lightly-built gull, confined to the Red Sea. Upperparts dark brown or gray. The bill is long, slender, and slightly downcurved. Adults have black hood with a prominent white eyering. Young birds are browner with a paler head. Compared to the similar-looking Sooty Gull it is smaller and more delicate with a thinner all-dark bill, and lacks the two-toned bill pattern. Breeds on remote islands and coral reefs; mainly coastal.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1825)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Ichthyaetus
Range and habitat
The white-eyed gull breeds on inshore islands with rocks and sandy beaches, such as the Siyal Islands, in the Red Sea from July to September. For the rest of the year it occurs throughout the Red Sea, with some birds travelling to Oman and Somalia.
- Breeding range
- AF : islands off Red Sea coasts
- Non-breeding range
- throughout Red Sea
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-throated Huet-huet
Pteroptochos tarnii
Fairly common but elusive; heard far more often than seen. Favors native temperate forest and adjacent shrubbery, especially bamboo. Feeds on the ground by scratching with its big feet in leaf litter, and runs very quickly and stealthily. Agitated birds can call loudly from middle level perches, cocking their tail. Nests in burrows, but can nest high up in tree hollows. Plumage distinctive, with pale eyering, dark slaty throat and breast, and rusty belly. No range overlap with Chestnut-throated Huet-huet.
Black-tailed Waxbill
Glaucestrilda perreini
Pretty little gray waxbill with a black tail and red rump, which is conspicuous in flight. Found along forest edge and in thick woodland. Shy and inconspicuous; usually in small flocks. Call is a long, whistled “tseee”, which is often doubled. Very similar to the localized Cinderella Waxbill, but is darker gray, black-billed, and has gray thighs.
Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo
Vireolanius melitophrys
Spectacular, large vireo of highland forests, especially pine-oak. Like most vireos, rather sluggish and easily overlooked. Best detected by song: a loud, hawklike whistle, often repeated steadily. Usually found as singles or in pairs, at middle to upper levels in forest canopy, but also low in brushy thickets; often travels with mixed-species flocks of warblers, orioles, and tanagers. Note the bold face pattern and staring pale eyes; male is more brightly marked, with deep rusty breast band while female breast band is weak and washed out.
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