Laughing Gulls
by Cynthia Wolfe
Title
Laughing Gulls
Artist
Cynthia Wolfe
Medium
Photograph
Description
Laughing Gulls (species name: cachinnans) wheel in the sky, stand in groups on beaches and parking lots, follow heavy machinery on agricultural fields or at landfills, and paddle in the water off docks and beaches. They are opportunistic, like most gulls, and often harry terns and pelicans to try to steal their catch. Look for Laughing Gulls hovering over the head of a pelican that has just dived, hoping for a fish to slip out of the larger bird’s gullet. Laughing Gulls use ritualized displays to keep order among themselves. These involve exaggerated calls and movements: Laughing Gulls threaten each other or simply claim space by extending the neck and head, lowering them toward the ground and calling, tossing the head backward repeatedly while calling, or ruffling their feathers, nodding the head, and flapping the wings. They signal submissiveness by turning the head away from their opponents. Laughing Gulls are monogamous and pairs often stay together for several breeding seasons. Credit: Allaboutbirds.com
Uploaded
March 2nd, 2017
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Viewed 268 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/18/2024 at 9:15 AM
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