Caspian Gull
Adult Caspian Gull
Adult Caspian Gull
First Winter Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans, ringed in Germany, Ring: X5F9
First Winter Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans, ringed in Germany, Ring: X5F9
The Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) is a large white-headed gull that has recently expanded its breeding range from the Black and Caspian Seas into Central and Western Europe. Once considered a subspecies of the Herring Gull, it was recognized as a full species in 2007.
Key Identification Features:
Caspian Gulls are often described as "lanky" or "elegant" compared to their relatives.
Behavior and Vocalization:
Distribution and Habitat:
Key Identification Features:
Caspian Gulls are often described as "lanky" or "elegant" compared to their relatives.
- Structure: They have a small, "pear-shaped" head with a long, sloping forehead and a long, slender, parallel-sided bill. Their legs, neck, and wings are notably longer than those of Herring Gulls.
- Eyes and Legs: The eye is typically small and often dark (resembling a "bullet hole"), while the legs vary from pale pink to pale yellowish.
- Plumage (Adult): The back is a slightly darker grey than a Herring Gull's but paler than a Yellow-legged Gull's. The outermost primary feather (P10) features a large white tip and a long white "tongue" on the inner web.
- Plumage (Juvenile): First-winter birds have a very white head and breast, contrasting with a dark "shawl" of streaks around the hind neck. Their underwings are strikingly white.
Behavior and Vocalization:
- Albatross Posture: When giving their "long call," Caspian Gulls uniquely hold their wings open and back in an "albatross posture".
- Voice: Their call is a loud, rapid, nasal sound with a "laughing" or "donkey-like" quality, distinct from the melodic calls of Herring Gulls.
- Aggression: They are highly competitive and aggressive at feeding sites like landfills, often dominating other gull species.
Distribution and Habitat:
- Breeding: Their core range is around the Black and Caspian Seas, but they now breed in Poland, Germany, Belarus, and the Netherlands. They typically nest on flat, low-lying ground or islands rather than cliffs.
- Wintering: In 2026, they are regular winter visitors to Britain, particularly in the Southeast and Midlands, with numbers peaking between October and January.
- Diet: They are versatile scavengers and predators, consuming fish, rodents (like ground squirrels), invertebrates, and refuse.