GULLS and Allies of South America
Gulls, terns, skimmers, skuas, puffins, and their allies belong to the order Charadriiformes and suborder Lari. In general they take food from the sea. Charadriiformes also contains the sandpipers, plovers and their allies. They are in suborder Charadrii and often feed along the shoreline. It is a matter of debate whether the coursers and pratincoles belong with the gulls or with the sandpipers.
Gulls
Order Charadriiformes Suborder Lari Family Laridae
Gulls are most closely related to the terns . Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They typically have harsh wailing or squawking calls, stout, longish bills, and webbed feet. Gull species range in size from 29-76 cm. Most gulls, particularly Larus species, are ground nesting carnivores, which will take live food or scavenge opportunistically. Live food often includes crabs and small fish. Gulls have unhinging jaws which allow them to consume large prey. Apart from the kittiwakes, gulls are typically coastal or inland species, rarely venturing far out to sea. large species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small gulls. Gulls are resourceful, inquisitive and intelligent birds, demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly developed social structure. [abstracted from Wikipedia]
Genus Chroicocephalus
Gull, Andean Chroicocephalus serranus Found: South America
Photographed by Charlie Westerinen - Lima Peru
Gull, Brown-hooded Chroicocephalus maculipennis Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Gull, Grey-headed Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Found: South America, Europe, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Nicolas Barcet 2) Gabriel Buissart - Delta du Sine Saloum SN
3) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Genus Creagrus- 1 species
Gull, Swallow-tailed Creagrus furcatus Found: vacinity of Galapagos Islands
Photographed by: 1) Marc Figueras 2) Putney Mark
Genus Larus
Gull, Belcher's Larus belcheri Found: South America
Alastair Rae 2) Charlie Westerinen - Lima Peru fish market on 3/19
Gull, Olrog's Larus Atlanticus Found: Atlantic coast of South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
2) Juvenile
Gull, Kelp aka Southern Black-backed Gull Larus dominicanus Found: The Americas, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Southern equivalent to the Lesser Black-back
4) dFaulder - Isla Magdalena, Chile 6) Dario Sanches - Brazil
5) Juvenile
Genus Leucophaeus
New World gulls. All have white crescents above and below the eyes.
Gull, Dolphin Leucophaeus scoresbii Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Claudio D. Timm in Beagle Channel, Argentina
2) Juvenile
Gull, Franklin's Leucophaeus pipixcan Found: The Americas, vagrant to Europe, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Aviceda - SE Queensland, Australia
Gull, Grey Leucophaeus modestus Found: Pacific coast of South America
Photographer: 1) Luc Bettinelli
Gull, Laughing Leucophaeus atricilla Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) Dick Daniels - North Carolina
Adult has black hood in breeding season, nonbreeding has some grey on head. Last 2 pix are juvenile.
Gull, Lava Leucophaeus fuliginosus Endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Rare.
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Santa Cruz Island of the Galapagos
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Please contact Dick Daniels to determine whether specific photos can be copied.
Please contact Dick Daniels to determine whether specific photos can be copied.