Laughing gull

Leucophaeus atricilla

The laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a medium-sized gull of North and South America.

Family: Laridae Order: Charadriiformes Conservation: Least Concern
Laughing gull

About the Laughing gull

The laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. Named from its laugh-like call, it is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger. It breeds in large colonies mostly along the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Two subspecies are accepted, L. a. atricilla, which occurs from the West Indies to the Venezuelan islands, and L. a. megalopterus, which occurs from southeast Canada down to Central America. The laughing gull was long placed in the genus Larus until its present placement in Leucophaeus.

Fun Facts About Laughing gull

  • It breeds in large colonies mostly along the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

Conservation Status

The Laughing gull is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.

Taxonomy & Classification

OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyLaridae
GenusLeucophaeus
SpeciesLeucophaeus atricilla

Range & Habitat

Range map of Laughing gull

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Related Species

Other species in the Laridae family: