# Laughing Gull (*Leucophaeus atricilla*) The Laughing Gull is a playful bird known for its cheerful calls that sound like laughter! These birds love to hang out near beaches and are often seen flying over the waves. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 61 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Laughing Gull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Laughing_Gull_adult_summer%252C_Daytona_Beach%252C_Florida.jpg&width=800) Photo: VJAnderson, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laughing_Gull_adult_summer%252C_Daytona_Beach%252C_Florida.jpg) ## Appearance The Laughing Gull has a distinctive black head during summer, which turns white with dusky markings in winter. Its dark gray back and wings contrast sharply with a clean white belly. It also features a noticeable red bill and legs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Leucophaeus ## Interesting facts - A flock of gulls on the water can be called a 'flotilla' – how cool! - Laughing Gulls take three years to grow their full adult feathers and colors! - Their camouflaged eggs blend perfectly into sandy nests, hiding from predators. - They sometimes steal food right from other birds or even humans! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Forager:** Laughing Gulls can pluck food from the water's surface or catch insects in mid-air because of their agile flight. - **Saltwater Sipper:** Laughing Gulls have special glands near their eyes that help them remove excess salt, allowing them to drink seawater. - **Opportunistic Eater:** Laughing Gulls have a versatile diet that helps them survive by eating a wide variety of foods, even human scraps. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 36-41 cm - **Wingspan:** 98-110 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.35 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 20-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Laughing Gulls are clever, opportunistic eaters that munch on almost anything they can find, from crabs to discarded snacks! - **Primary Foods:** Fish, Crabs, Insects, Worms, Eggs, Human refuse - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Peregrine Falcons sometimes prey on adult gulls during migration. - **Eats:** Fiddler Crab (*Uca pugilator*) — Laughing Gulls frequently eat small crabs found along the shoreline. - **Depends on:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — They often scavenge for discarded food left behind by people. - **Depends on:** [Least Tern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/least-tern) (*Sterna antillarum*) — Laughing Gulls sometimes steal fish from smaller seabirds like terns. ## 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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [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:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't feed them human food. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Laughing 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 Laughing Gull? 36-41 cm ### What is Laughing Gull's wingspan? 98-110 cm ### How much does Laughing Gull weigh? 0.2-0.35 kg ### How long does Laughing Gull live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Laughing Gull move? 50 km/h ### What does Laughing Gull eat? Laughing Gulls are clever, opportunistic eaters that munch on almost anything they can find, from crabs to discarded snacks! ### Where is Laughing Gull usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Camp Evans](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-evans) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Fort Monroe National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-monroe-national-monument) — Virginia, US · National Park - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Laughing Gull](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/laughing-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: [Laughing Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/laughing-gull)