Photo: Marek Szczepanek / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Caspian Gull

Larus cachinnans

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire Birds of Cornwall Birds of Derbyshire Birds of Devon

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of England

See what's near you right now

The Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. 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 Larus
Species cachinnans

Where it lives

Inland southern Poland and Hungary east through Black, Caspian and Aral seas to eastern Kazakhstan

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 1.1 kg
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Caspian Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Caspian Gull is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL inland s Poland and Hungary e through Black, Caspian and Aral seas to e Kazakhstan.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 42.7 cm and a tail of around 16.2 cm.

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

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Caspian Gull — Call

Recorded by Agris Celmins Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Caspian Gull?

The Caspian Gull is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.

Where does the Caspian Gull live?

The Caspian Gull is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland s Poland and Hungary e through Black, Caspian and Aral seas to e Kazakhstan, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Caspian Gull belong to?

The Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Caspian Gull eat?

The Caspian Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Caspian Gull migrate?

The Caspian Gull is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Caspian 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 Caspian Gull make?

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

How large is the Caspian Gull's range?

The Caspian Gull has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².