Brown-headed Gull (Larus brunnicephalus)

Other Names (World)
Brown-headed Gull, Indian Black-headed Gull

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
41 - 46 cm
Wingspan: 105 - 115 cm

First Described (Guide)
Jerdon, 1840

Habitat
During breeding season, cold, high altitude lakes. In non-breeding season, coasts, estuaries and tidal mudflats.

Range (Guide)

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand (NB), Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

Vagrant to Afghanistan, Iran [Islamic Republic of], Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates.

Unknown to Russia (Asian).

Mountains of south-central Asia, between 3000 m and at least 4500 m: Turkestan and western Xinjiang east to south-eastern Gansu, and south to Pamirs (L Kara-Kul), Ladakh and Tibet. Winters on coasts of India, northern Sri Lanka and south-eastern Asia, sparingly west to Arabian Peninsula.

Population
Estimated population is 100,000 - 200,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Resembles that of Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), but lower, more guttural 'krreeah-kreeah', a harsh 'gek-gek' and wailing 'ka-yek ka-yek'.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (10)...)

Brown-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus) [XC769889]
by Sreekumar Chirukandoth from Kancheepuram (near Thiruvidanthai), Tamil Nadu, India (call, song)

Brown-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus) [XC769892]
by id from Kancheepuram (near Thiruvidanthai), Tamil Nadu, India (call, song)

Subspecies
Sometimes treated as subspecies of Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), the Pamir population showing intermediate characteristics.

No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Brown-headed Gull (Larus brunnicephalus) - 10 files

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BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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