White-eyed Gull (Larus leucophthalmus)

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
41 cm

First Described (Guide)
Temminck, 1825

Habitat
Coastal, rubbish tips, harbours. Feeds at sea. Roosts on rocks, coral reefs, piers and fishing vessels.

Range (Guide)

Djibouti (B) (NB), Egypt (B) (NB), Eritrea (B) (NB), Israel (NB), Jordan (B) (NB), Kenya (E) (NB), Saudi Arabia (B) (NB), Somalia (B) (NB), Sudan (B), Yemen (B) (NB) (P).

Vagrant to Greece, Iran [Islamic Republic of], Maldives (NB), Oman (NB), Turkey (NB), United Arab Emirates (NB).

Red Sea from Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba (Tiran) southern into Gulf of Aden.

Population
Estimated population is 37,000 - 44,000 (2010) and stable.

Status LC
Predation by introduced mammals, oil spills, disturbance by fisherman and tourists are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
In the non-breeding season it is usually found in small groups, but sometimes forms flocks of hundreds or even thousands to forage.

Food
Mainly fish, but also crustaceans, molluscs, annelids and offal.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (16)...)

White-eyed Gull (Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus) [XC661855]
by GABRIEL LEITE from Gayal, Al Bad, Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia (call)

White-eyed Gull (Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus) [XC740183]
by Oscar Campbell from Duba, Duba, Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia (call)

Nest
On bare rock, sand or exposed flats, composed of twigs, seaweed and debris or a small pad of vegetable matter. Loose colonies.

Eggs (Guide)
2 - 3.

Subspecies
Morphometrically closest to Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii).

No subspecies.

Similar Species
From Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii) by its slightly smaller size, and, in adult plumage, all-black hood and bib, dark grey upperparts, all-dark bill (dark red with black tip, unlike two-tone bill of Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii)) and conspicuous white eye-ring.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for White-eyed Gull (Larus leucophthalmus) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the White-eyed Gull see... Show Articles

BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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