# Caspian Gull (*Larus cachinnans*) The Caspian Gull is a large bird that loves to live near water. It has a beautiful gray and white body and a loud call that can be heard from far away. These gulls are great at finding food, often scavenging along the shores. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Caspian Gull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Larus_cachinnans_3_%28Marek_Szczepanek%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Marek Szczepanek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larus_cachinnans_3_%28Marek_Szczepanek%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Caspian Gull is a large, elegant gull with a pale grey back and wings, contrasting white head and underparts. It features a strong, long yellow bill with a distinct red spot near the tip, and long, yellowish legs. Its darker wingtips have small white spots, making it distinct from similar gulls. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Larus ## Interesting facts - Baby Caspian Gulls are fluffy and speckled, camouflaged perfectly in their nest! - Caspian Gulls have a loud, deep 'kyow' call, quite different from common gulls! - These gulls are clever! They sometimes drop shellfish from high up to break them open. - They can be seen far from the sea, nesting in huge colonies near lakes. ## Special abilities - **Soaring Navigator:** Caspian Gull has long, pointed wings that help them soar effortlessly for hours, covering vast distances during migration. - **Diet Chameleon:** Caspian Gull can eat almost anything because of its adaptable digestive system, helping them survive in diverse environments. - **Sharp-Eyed Hunter:** Caspian Gull has excellent eyesight that helps them spot tiny prey, like insects or fish, from high in the sky. - **Thirsty Traveler:** Caspian Gull can drink saltwater because of special glands that remove excess salt, helping them survive far from fresh water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 56-68 cm - **Wingspan:** 135-155 cm - **Weight:** 0.75-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-25 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 27-31 days - **Migration Distance:** 2500 km ## Diet & Feeding Caspian Gulls are opportunistic eaters, feasting on fish, insects, eggs, and human scraps. - **Primary Foods:** fish, crustaceans, large insects, rodents, bird eggs, carrion - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Roach](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roach) (*Rutilus rutilus*) — Preys on this common freshwater fish species. - **Eats:** [Common Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — Opportunistically hunts these small rodents in fields. - **Eaten by:** [Common Raven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-raven) (*Corvus corax*) — Ravens often steal Caspian Gull eggs and chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes can prey on gull chicks, eggs, and sometimes adults. ## 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. - [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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch gulls from a distance and don't feed them, as they can become too friendly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Caspian 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 Caspian Gull? 56-68 cm ### What is Caspian Gull's wingspan? 135-155 cm ### How much does Caspian Gull weigh? 0.75-1.6 kg ### How long does Caspian Gull live? 10-25 years ### How fast can Caspian Gull move? 65 km/h ### What does Caspian Gull eat? Caspian Gulls are opportunistic eaters, feasting on fish, insects, eggs, and human scraps. ### Where is Caspian Gull usually found? Coastal areas ## 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: [Caspian Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/caspian-gull)