Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northern Territory Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Queensland Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Western Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Alberta Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of British Columbia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Manitoba Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New Brunswick Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Newfoundland and Labrador Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Nova Scotia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northwest Territories

See what's near you right now

The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 284 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Chroicocephalus
Species ridibundus

Where it lives

Coastal far southern Greenland, inland Iceland, temperate and subarctic western Europe across Russia to Yakutsk region, Kamchatka, Sakhalin (eastern Russia); in south through Caspian Sea, northern Central Asia, northern, central Mongolia and northeastern China; also west-central Newfoundland (southeastern Canada)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 284 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Not Evaluated

Brown-hooded Gull

Chroicocephalus maculipennis

Not Evaluated

Laughing Gull

Leucophaeus atricilla

Least Concern

Silver Gull

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Not Evaluated

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-headed Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Black-headed Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a species of gulls, terns, skimmers in the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia — coastal far s Greenland, inland Iceland, temperate and subarctic w Europe across Russia to Yakutsk region, Kamchatka, Sakhalin (e Russia); in south through Caspian Sea, n Central Asia, n, c Mongolia and ne China; also wc Newfoundland (se Canada).

Songs & calls

Black-headed Gull — Call, flight call

Recorded by Grzegorz Lorek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-headed Gull?

The Black-headed Gull is a large bird that weighs around 284 g.

Where does the Black-headed Gull live?

The Black-headed Gull is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL coastal far s Greenland, inland Iceland, temperate and subarctic w Europe across Russia to Yakutsk region, Kamchatka, Sakhalin (e Russia); in south through Caspian Sea, n Central Asia, n, c Mongolia and ne China; also wc Newfoundland (se Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Black-headed Gull belong to?

The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Black-headed Gull eat?

The Black-headed Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Black-headed Gull migrate?

The Black-headed Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Black-headed Gull endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Black-headed Gull make?

1 real field recording of the Black-headed Gull — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.