Heuglin's gull
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Larus fuscus heuglini

Heuglin's gull (Larus fuscus heuglini ) or the Siberian gull, is a seabird in the genus Larus.

Appearance

They are large gulls with a rounded head, strong bill and long legs and wings. Length is from 53 to 70 cm (21 to 28 in), wingspan is from 138 to 158 cm (54 to 62 in) and body mass is from 745 to 1,360 g (1.642 to 2.998 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 40.5 to 46.9 cm (15.9 to 18.5 in), the bill is 4.5 to 6.5 cm (1.8 to 2.6 in) and the tarsus is 5.9 to 7.8 cm (2.3 to 3.1 in). The back and wings are dark grey, variable in shade but often similar to the graelsii race of the slightly smaller lesser black-backed gull. In winter the head is only lightly streaked with brown but there is heavier streaking on the hindneck. The legs are usually yellow but can be pink.

Distribution

Geography

Heuglin's gulls breed in the tundra of northern Russia from the Kola Peninsula east to the Taymyr Peninsula. They are regularly reported from Finland and may breed there. They migrate south to winter in Southwest Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, East Asia, and East Africa. Small numbers are seen in Southeast Asia, it has been recorded in South Africa and it may occur as a vagrant in Western Europe.

Habits and Lifestyle

Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

They feed mainly on molluscs, worms, and crustaceans.

Population

References

1. Heuglin's gull Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuglin's_gull
2. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/461870

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