Hydrocoloeus – Little gull

As its name suggests, it is the smallest gull in the world, weighing about as much as a stick of butter. It is so petite and agile that from a distance, people often mistake it for a large swallow or a tern. While it shares the “black hood” look with the Chroicocephalus genus, it is actually in a genus of its own (Hydrocoloeus). What technically sets it apart is its inky-black underwing. While most gulls have white or pale grey undersides to their wings, the little gull sports a dramatic, velvety charcoal-black lining that creates a stunning “flash” every time it beats its wings.

What truly separates the little gull from its relatives is its insect-hunting prowess. While larger gulls are scavenging for fish or scraps, the little gull acts like a giant flycatcher. During the summer, they frequent marshes and lakes where they perform incredible “snap-turns” in mid-air to snatch dragonflies, midges, and mayflies right out of the sky. They have a very “humanized” way of foraging on the water, too—they often “patter” their tiny feet on the surface to stir up tiny crustaceans, looking like they are trying to walk on water while delicately picking up their meal.

In terms of personality, the little gull is a bit of a social butterfly. They rarely nest in massive, single-species colonies like kittiwakes. Instead, they prefer to “piggyback” on the colonies of other birds, like black-headed gulls or Arctic terns. They use the larger, more aggressive birds as a “security detail”; when a predator approaches, the bigger gulls do the heavy fighting, while the little gull stays safe in the middle of the crowd. It’s a brilliant “work smarter, not harder” strategy for such a tiny bird.