Gulls · Marine Birds · Marine Life · South Africa

Grey-headed gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

Non-breeding adult. Note the whitish eyes and the grey smudges above eye and on cheeks. Hermanus, Western Cape (2020).
Non-breeding adult. Note the whitish eyes and the grey smudges above eye and on cheeks. Hermanus, Western Cape (2020).

Body white. Head, back and most of the upper surface of its wings grey. Tips of wings predominantly black, separated from the grey by a white flash. Legs and bill red. Eyes pale, with a red rim.
Juveniles have darker upper parts than those of Hartlaub’s gull, and a dark band at the tip of the tail.

38 – 40 cm.

Widely distributed and most common on inland lakes and dams. Occurs around the entire coast, but most often seen in KwaZulu-Natal.
Scavenges on dead fish and offal, and preys on insects and crustaceans.

Two Ocean (2016).

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