# Black-tailed Gull (*Larus crassirostris*) The Black-tailed Gull is a playful bird found near the sea. It has a striking black tail and loves to catch fish and play in the waves. These gulls are often seen flying in groups, making them a fun sight at the beach! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Black-tailed Gull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gull_in_water3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Angie from Sawara, Chiba-ken, Japan, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gull_in_water3.jpg) ## Appearance The Black-tailed Gull has a striking white head and body with a dark grey back and wings. Its name comes from the distinct black band across its otherwise white tail. It sports a bright yellow bill with a black ring and a red tip, and yellow legs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Larus ## Interesting facts - Some Black-tailed Gulls can live for over 20 years in the wild! - Their loud calls often sound like 'mew-mew' or 'ha-ha-ha' echoing along the shore! - These gulls are the most common type seen flying around Japan's coasts. - They sometimes 'foot-paddle' in shallow water to stir up tasty hidden critters. ## Special abilities - **Tail Stripe Flash:** Black-tailed Gulls have a bold black band on their tail that might flash during flight, confusing predators and aiding escape. - **Sharp Ocean Eyes:** Black-tailed Gulls have super-sharp eyesight that helps them spot tiny fish and food from high above the shimmering water. - **Wave Rider Wings:** Black-tailed Gulls have strong, angled wings that help them glide effortlessly on ocean winds to find food along the coast. - **Loud Colony Call:** Black-tailed Gulls make loud, distinctive calls that help them communicate warnings and keep track of each other in noisy colonies. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 43-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 126-130 cm - **Weight:** 0.48-0.65 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-3 - **Incubation:** 24-25 days ## Diet & Feeding These adaptable gulls feast on fish, ocean critters, and sometimes snacks from humans near the coast! - **Primary Foods:** fish, marine worms, crabs, shrimp, discarded food - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Japanese Anchovy (*Engraulis japonicus*) — Often preys on schools of these small fish near the surface. - **Eats:** [Asian Shore Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/asian-shore-crab) (*Hemigrapsus sanguineus*) — Forages for these crabs and other crustaceans along the shoreline. - **Eaten by:** Steller's Sea Eagle (*Haliaeetus pelagicus*) — Eggs and chicks are sometimes taken by this large coastal raptor. - **Eaten by:** [Brown Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-rat) (*Rattus norvegicus*) — Rats frequently raid nesting colonies for eggs and vulnerable chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not feed them, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black-tailed Gull? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black-tailed Gull? 43-50 cm ### What is Black-tailed Gull's wingspan? 126-130 cm ### How much does Black-tailed Gull weigh? 0.48-0.65 kg ### How long does Black-tailed Gull live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Black-tailed Gull move? 55 km/h ### What does Black-tailed Gull eat? These adaptable gulls feast on fish, ocean critters, and sometimes snacks from humans near the coast! ### Where is Black-tailed Gull usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shokanbetsu-teuri-yagishiri-quasi-national-park) — Hokkaido, JP · Park - [Shimokita Hanto Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shimokita-hanto-quasi-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park - [San'inkaigan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saninkaigan-national-park) — Kansai / Chugoku, JP · Park - [Sanriku Fukko National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sanriku-fukko-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park - [Chokai Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chokai-quasi-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park - [Matsushima Prefectural Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/matsushima-prefectural-natural-park) — JP · Park [View all places to see Black-tailed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-tailed-gull) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black-tailed Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-tailed-gull)