Black-headed Gull

Scientific Name: Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Malay Name: Camar-Topeng Erasia
Chinese Name: 红嘴鸥

Range:
Found from Europe to Asia and eastern Canada wintering to northern Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and eastern North America

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 35-39 cm

Identification:
Non-breeding adult has mostly white head with prominent dark ear spots, white nape and underparts, pale grey mantle, dark eyes, reddish bill with black tip and dark red legs/feet. Breeding adult has dark brown hood with broken white eyering and darker red bill. First winter bird resembles non-breeding adult but has duller bill and legs, buff-brown markings on upperwings and blackish subterminal tail-band.

Similar looking species: Brown-headed Gull

Habitat: Mudflat and other coastal habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feeds on varied food items such as aquatic and terrestrial insects, earthworms, marine invertebrates, some fish, grains and berries.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Location: Mandai Mudflat, Straits of Johor, Seletar Dam, Pulau Ubin and Straits of Singapore.

Photos:

Black-headed Gull at Seletar Dam. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Black-headed Gull at Seletar Dam. Photo credit: Francis Yap

First winter Black-headed Gull at Seletar Dam. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Adult Black-headed Gull in breeding plumage from China. Photo Credit: Henry Koh

Adult Black-headed Gull in breeding plumage from China. Photo Credit: Henry Koh

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

References:
BirdLife International. (2018). Larus ridibundus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. Downloaded on 2 September 2021
Robson, C. (2008). A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers.