Arguably the most famous member of its genus and the bird people usually mean when they talk about “the gull with the mask.” While they are incredibly common across Europe and Asia, they are far from “ordinary.” Physically, they are sleek and medium-sized with bright red legs and a matching red bill. The most important technical distinction to make is about their name: their “black” head is actually a deep, dark chocolate brown. In bright sunlight, you can see the rich mahogany tones, but from a distance, it looks like a solid black hood that ends abruptly at the neck, creating a very sharp, formal “tuxedo” appearance.
What separates the black-headed gull from the larger “seagulls” is its urban adaptability. While the kittiwakes are clinging to cliffs and the Sabine’s gulls are lost at sea, the black-headed gull has moved into our neighborhoods. They are the “commuters” of the bird world, frequently moving between coastal estuaries and inland city parks, lakes, and even farm fields. They have a very “humanized” sense of curiosity; they are often the first birds to investigate a person sitting on a park bench, using a “hover-and-stare” technique to see if any snacks might be coming their way.
Their social intelligence is their greatest asset. They are highly vocal and communicative, using a wide array of “kree-arr” calls to coordinate with the flock. In a colony, they are famously protective; if a crow or a hawk enters their airspace, the entire group will rise up as one in a “mobbing” behavior, screaming and diving at the intruder until it is driven away. This collective defense is so effective that other, more timid birds often nest near black-headed gulls just to live under their “security umbrella.”
Distribution
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Antigua & Barbuda
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Benin
Bermuda
Bosnia And Herz.
Botswana
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Chad
China
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Egypt
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
French Guiana
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Martinique
Mauritania
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
Niger
Nigeria
Nort. Mariana Is.
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre
Saint Vincent
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts & Nevis
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turks & Caicos
Turkey
UAE
US Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
