A medium-sized seabird from the Laridae family, characterized by its distinctive laughing call and variable plumage depending on breeding season and age.
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ADSENSE SLOT
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Coastal marine environments, including beaches, estuaries, salt marshes, and coastal wetlands across the Americas, primarily in North and Central America
Ecological Role
Important marine ecosystem scavenger and indicator species for coastal environmental health, playing a role in marine food webs and nutrient cycling
Morphology
SKIN COATGray and white plumage, dark hood during breeding season, lighter gray and white during winter
LIMBS WINGSLong, pointed wings adapted for efficient marine flight, gray upper wings with black wingtips
HEAD SENSORYLarge head with sharp beak, black head during breeding season, gray during non-breeding periods
BODY STRUCTURESlender body with wingspan of 0.96-1.10 m, body length 36-41 cm, weight 0.3-0.4 kg
Data Source: TaxonHub Database
Image Credit: Rhododendrites
