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
Hooded Parrot
Psephotellus dissimilis
A slender and long-tailed parrot restricted to a relatively small range in the Northern Territory, where it inhabits open woodlands. Male a striking turquoise color with black cap, yellow wings, rosy undertail coverts, and olive back. Female primarily pale green with turquoise underparts except for rosy undertail coverts. Slenderer and longer-tailed than Red-winged Parrot and Northern Rosella, with bright yellow shoulders obvious in flight. This species digs tunnels in termite mounds in order to breed. Calls include a sharp "chit."
Bundok Flycatcher
Ficedula luzoniensis
A small bird of montane forest undergrowth, where it perches motionless for long periods. Sooty-gray above with white under the base of the tail and on the belly blending to an orange chest and throat, slightly paler on the chin. Most races have a short, thin white eyebrow. Similar to Mugimaki Flycatcher, but has pinkish rather than black legs and lacks any white marks in the wing. Song is a simple, very high-pitched whistled melody.
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Small, spunky wren with boldly patterned plumage. Look for dark cap, bright white eyebrow, and black-and-white stripes on back. Compared with similar Sedge Wren, Marsh is overall darker and more contrasty; especially note the solid brown shoulder patch and unstreaked crown. Habitat is also a good clue for identifying this wren: rarely strays far from water, especially extensive cattail marshes and rushes. Migrants are occasionally seen in wet weedy fields. Often difficult to see well as it skulks through reeds, but often perches conspicuously when singing. Variable song usually a gurgling trill with some introductory notes.
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