Laughing Gull

Leucophaeus atricilla

The Laughing Gull is predominantly a bird of the shores of the east coast and gulf waters of North America. But they also live southward into the Caribbean and the west coast of Mexico. Winters may find these birds in northern South America on the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. Some have bred at the Salton Sea since 1997.

If one spends time around these highly vocal birds, it is easy to see (or hear) how these gulls got their common name. During the late 1800s, the millinery trade sought bird feathers to adorn ladies’ hats. The practice caused their population to plummet, but has recovered since protections were established in the early 1900s.

There have been differing opinions throughout the 20th and 21st centuries among the ornithological taxonomist community regarding the status of subspecies of the Laughing Gull. Some see the species as monotypic (no subspecies), while others regard the North American and Central American birds as different from the South American birds. For those who call for a split, the subspecies are:

L. a. megalopterus are northern birds breeding from southeastern California at the Salton Sea, and south to western Mexico, and from Maine to Florida and Texas, and somewhat through eastern Central America. They spend winters south into Peru (South America).
L. a. atricilla are the southern population breeding in the West Indies to the Leeward Antilles and Trinidad, and islands off Venezuela and French Guiana. They spend winters south to northern Brazil.

I first met Laughing Gulls in Southern California at the Salton Sea. There they breed in low numbers. But I got to know them well when I visited the Texas Gulf Coast in the springs of 2020 and 2021. Year-round, they outnumber all other gull species, and most of them sported black heads. In mid-August 2022, I returned to Texas and stayed through September, and very few of these gulls had black heads. Juvenile birds are often entertaining to watch as they try to figure out how to operate in the world. I enjoyed spending time with these young gulls during my fall visit.

39 Photos

Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla — **Laughing Gull**
*(Leucophaeus atricilla)*

**Description:**
Meetings with Laughing Gulls are less common at the Salton Sea than any other gull species. Near Lack & Lindsey Roads. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2011:10:13 15:47

**Location:**

Lack-And-Lindsey-Roads
Salton Sea, California
United States
232.95 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500

**File Name:** D3X4259-LaughingGull

© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **Laughing Gull**
*(Leucophaeus atricilla)*

**Description:**
Meetings with Laughing Gulls are less common at the Salton Sea than any other gull species. Near Lack & Lindsey Roads. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2011:10:13 15:47

**Location:**

Lack-And-Lindsey-Roads
Salton Sea, California
United States
232.95 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500

**File Name:** D3X4259-LaughingGull

© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricill — **Laughing Gull**
*(Leucophaeus atricill)*

**Description:**
Laughing Gulls were ever-present in the greater Corpus Christi area. My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, so I drove south to Rockport where I would board a boat (the Skimmer) on Tuesday to see a whole new side of the reserve. In exploring the town I saw the ever-present Laughing gulls perched on a fenceline. After stopping I noticed I'd stumbled onto the Rockport Rookery, an 8+ acre site the city purchased from the Beasley family.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:03:16 15:36

**Location:**

Fulton (Texas)
Rockport, Texas
United States
29.53 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 460 mm, f/7.1, 1/800

**File Name:** LaughingGull_D502399-Rockport-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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