Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Black-headed Gulls

Black-headed Gull:

UK Status: Resident.

Habitat: This gull is not really a true sea gull, and although there are colonies on the coast, it is mainly and inland bird. These birds are scavengers and can be seen almost any where there is food to be found. They frequent inland bodies of water such as pools, lakes and sluggish rivers. Often seen with other gulls at landfill sites, also seen at times in parks and gardens. After breeding they lose their black head plumage, except for a small dark spot or patch behind the eye. The bird pictured above left is a juvenile in it's first winter plumage, the birds above are mature and displaying their true winter plumage.

Breeding: This bird nests on open ground including wetlands and marshes. Some times they nest on dryer ground near water, and on occasions in low trees, or bushes. Nests are usually a piled up mound of vegetation, built in a hollow in the ground.

Comment: Probably our commonest inland gull in northern England, Scotland and Wales. There are also some colonies on the south, and east coasts of England.