Coastal and inland Africa south of the Sahara and Madagascar; coastal Ecuador and Peru; southern Uruguay and northeastern Argentina to Santa Fe (north-central Argentina)

Quick facts

Weight: 375 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Brown-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Grey-headed Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Africa and South America. Its distribution covers SA, AF coastal and inland Africa s of the Sahara and Madagascar; coastal Ecuador and Peru; s Uruguay and ne Argentina to Santa Fe (nc Argentina).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 375 g, with a wing length of about 31.9 cm and a tail of around 12.5 cm.

Songs & calls

Grey-headed Gull — Flight call

Recorded by Dries Van de Loock Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Grey-headed Gull?

The Grey-headed Gull is a large bird that weighs around 375 g.

Where does the Grey-headed Gull live?

The Grey-headed Gull is found across Africa and South America with a range covering SA, AF coastal and inland Africa s of the Sahara and Madagascar; coastal Ecuador and Peru; s Uruguay and ne Argentina to Santa Fe (nc Argentina), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Grey-headed Gull belong to?

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

What does the Grey-headed Gull eat?

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

Does the Grey-headed Gull migrate?

The Grey-headed Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

What sound does the Grey-headed Gull make?

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