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

Not Evaluated

Shorebirds

Laughing Gull

Leucophaeus atricilla

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

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 New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Western Australia Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New South Wales Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northern Territory Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Queensland Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Tasmania Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Western Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of British Columbia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Manitoba Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New Brunswick Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Newfoundland and Labrador

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The Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a member of the Laridae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 307 g.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Leucophaeus
Species atricilla

Where it lives

Islands off western North Atlantic coast of Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico to southern Texas; Yucatan Pen.; Gulf of California to Colima; West Indies, islands off Yucatan Pen., and islands north of Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago and to French Guiana

Quick facts

Weight: 307 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Not Evaluated

Brown-hooded Gull

Chroicocephalus maculipennis

Least Concern

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Not Evaluated

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Least Concern

Silver Gull

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Laughing Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

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

The Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a species of gulls, terns, skimmers in the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America, Central America & Caribbean, South America — islands off w North Atlantic coast of Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico to s Texas; Yucatan Pen.; Gulf of California to Colima; West Indies, islands off Yucatan Pen., and islands n of Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago and to French Guiana.

Songs & calls

Laughing Gull — Call

Recorded by Rory Nefdt Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Laughing Gull?

The Laughing Gull is a large bird that weighs around 307 g.

Where does the Laughing Gull live?

The Laughing Gull is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA islands off w North Atlantic coast of Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico to s Texas; Yucatan Pen.; Gulf of California to Colima; West Indies, islands off Yucatan Pen., and islands n of Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago and to French Guiana, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Laughing Gull belong to?

The Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Laughing Gull eat?

The Laughing Gull hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Laughing Gull migrate?

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

What sound does the Laughing Gull make?

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