Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus

adult summer

adult summer adult winter European distribution Adults at rest

Identification

The Little Gull is the world's smallest gull and this delightfully delicate bird is always a joy to see. Adults in winter plumage differ from Black-headed Gulls in their small size, smaller black bill and the smoky patch on the crown and dark grey underwing. Little Gulls have a buoyant flight and sometimes flutter to pick insects from the water like marsh terns. Second-year birds lose the black 'W' on the upperwing, and now show the same striking underwing pattern as an adult - smoky black except for a broad white line around the trailing edge. Adults in summer plumage have a complete black hood over the head.

Habitat

Breeds and winters on estuaries, lakes and coasts.

Behaviour

Behaviour...

Migration

Migrates to the western seaboards of Europe when not breeding in winter. Some visit the Black Sea and the southern Caspian Sea and over 50 000 have been counted wintering in the Nile Delta (Egypt). Passage birds occur in Britain during spring and autumn.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Little Gull is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Grimley New Workings, Worcs 29/08/2010	Grimley New Workings, Worcs 29/08/2010	Grimley New Workings, Worcs 29/08/2010	Grimley, Worcs 27/08/2010	Hornsea Mere, E Yorks 27/08/2010
Pennington Flash, Manc'r 22/08/2010	Pennington Flash, Manc'r 20/08/2010	Grimley New Workings, Worcs 19/08/2010	Grimley New Workings, Worcs 19/08/2010	Grimley New Workings, Worcs 19/08/2010

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Little Gull breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Belarus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Sweden
Ukraine

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