Facts you should know about BLACK HEADED GULLS!
Black-headed gulls are one of the most common urban gull species and are found across most of the Northern hemisphere. In this video you will find What black headed gulls look like, where they nest, what black headed gulls eat and lots of other black headed gull facts.
Here is the script I have written and used in this video:
The black headed gull is a small species of gull that is found all across Europe, north and central asia and in some parts of North America. In the UK they live everywhere except for central wales and the Scottish highlands. They have a wingspan of just over a meter and can weigh upto 330grams.
Despite their name, they never actually have a black head but in the nesting season they do develop chocolate coloured head. Outside of the nesting season they lose most of this and have just a couple of dark blotches near to their eyes. They also have light grey wings with black tips and dark red beaks and legs. There isn’t any difference in the colouring of males and females although the male birds are slightly larger.
A lot of gulls are associated with coastal areas but black headed gulls are common sight away from the sea. They live in noisy, quarrelsome groups around urban areas, such as parks gardens and rubbish tips but are also found along freshly ploughed fields and at inland water bodies such as reservoirs, lakes and rivers. They will eat pretty much anything but a lot of their diet is made up of insects, worms and other invertebrates, seeds, scraps, fish and carrion.
Black headed gulls typically start breeding at 2 years of age around mid-april when a pair will form and begin the construction of a nest. This is usually on the ground near to a water body and close to the nests of other black headed gulls, albeit just out of pecking distance. The nest is made out of twigs, grass and aquatic weeds but they will also unfortunately use litter in urban areas. If the colony is large, the fitter gulls nest in the middle of the group with the weaker pairs being forced nesting on the periphery. Once the nest is built the female will lay 2 or 3 olive green speckled eggs that measure just over 5cm long. Sometimes black headed gulls exhibit brood parasitism whereby a female will lay her eggs in the nest of another pair so that they rear her chicks. This is more likely to happen if her own nest has been destroyed or stolen by another pair. Once all the eggs are laid both the males and females share the incubation duties. This takes from 23 to 26 days when the speckled grey fluffy chicks hatch out. These chicks can stand up and walk around shortly after hatching and continuously beg for food from their parents. Like adults, male chicks are larger than females and as they require more food, they have a lower survival rate if food is in short supply. The chicks take from 30 to 42 days until they are able to fly and are fed by both parents for several weeks after this point. Black headed gulls only nest once per season and although some pairs remain together for several years, they often find new mates for each nesting attempt. After reaching independence the young birds gradually moult to look almost like their parents and over their first winter the only tell tale difference are the darker feathers that remain on their wings.
In the UK there are currently an estimated 140,000 pairs of black headed gulls with around 2.2million overwintering here. Global populations are rising and they are gradually colonizing more parts of north America. If a black headed gull survives to the point of fledging, it has an average lifespan of around 11 years but in 2018 one bird was recorded at 32.25 years.
Some of the footage and images used in this video were obtained using creative commons licences. Here are links to them and their licence details:
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• Black-headed gulls wit...
• Black-headed Gull (Chr...
• Black-headed Gull colo...
• Black-headed Gull Dive...
• Black Headed Gull Wint...
• The Gulls Are Back In ...
• Mouette rieuse (Larus ...
• Aalsmeer Benchfeed in ...
• 15.7.14 Mouette rieuse...
• Black-headed Gull fora...
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• Betty's 2 Chicks
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• Озёрная чайка Chroic...
• Black-headed gulls
Gull nest CC BY SA Mary Gillham www.flickr.com/photos/marygil...
#wildlife
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#nature
0:00-0:28 Black-headed gull distribution
0:29 Black-headed gull description
1:02 Black-headed gull habitat
1:21 Black-headed gull diet
1:33 Black-headed gull nesting
3:21 Black-headed gull fun facts
3:40 Black-headed gull lifespan
Пікірлер: 63
last year I fed them every day in roundhay park in Leeds, they became so friendly that they would take food from my hand, they also stood on my shoulder and head and once while cycling around the lake one landed on my head for a few moments, they are extraordinary they make eye contact and I can feel the love
I only recently discovered your channel, Liam. Your wonderful uploads are so beautiful and informative. You presented your video superbly. Your very detailed informative notes of your videos are much appreciated. Thank you from your new subscriber.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much. I hope I can continue to provide the content you are looking for :)
I had no idea they were quite so long lived Liam so you have again taught me something I did not know - brilliant and informative video as usual.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
As always, I am happy to be of service. I try to include something for everyone so I am glad you learnt something new :)
Hi Liam, Another great video - we have so many around here, they're really interesting birds to watch. Amazing age they get to!!! I always use Black Headed Gulls as Otter spotters. If we see them dive bombing the lakes here, there's a pretty good chance that there are Otters around!! Thanks for sharing anothe interesting film👍👍👍👍
@NaturallyCuriousUK
2 жыл бұрын
Wow! That's a good tip about the otter spotting! 👍
@NBNatureTrailvan
2 жыл бұрын
@@NaturallyCuriousUK I only realised that this year!!
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the tip, I will have to keep an eye out for that in the future as well. I have used the egyptian geese alarm calling and moorhens running away from the water in the past to help me find otters but the more tricks the merrier! Thanks for the comment and im glad you liked the video :)
@NBNatureTrailvan
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife ha that’s a good one too Liam - or an area with no birdlife where there usually is 😃
Great video! I love the way you summarise facts about a species. I filmed a bunch of black headed gulls in their winter plumage on a walk recently (the video on the birds I spotted will be coming out in a few weeks) and I think too many people overlook them just because of how common they are.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I try to make these videos about the more common species as those are the ones people are likely to see more regularly (although I am slowly running out of common species - feel free to suggest some). I'll keep an eye out for your video :)
@chromicapop4595
11 ай бұрын
in my region some gulls irregular migrants or seasonal ones
I love Black Headed Gulls :)
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Cool, I hope you enjoyed the video then :)
Hello, just a wee update, now we can find this gulls in the Scottish Highlands too , 😊 It was my first time to see them (they are a lot) and I just searched something about them, and I found this video. Great job! Thank you! 👏👏
Keep going Liam! Your channel is fantastic and what the country needs.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much, that's really kind!
Lovely video Liam from a Gull lover ..Berlin has loads and their calls are like music ,This is so well filmed .Wish I could send you a photo .Last month & in the city centre I watched many .Was confused at the breeding plumage so early but only a couple .Most were none breeding plumage.The point is one has two rings .The metal on L I couldn't read but the yellow on R is TLU7 Try as I may I've had no luck finding where this was put on .Quite a longish band too.. .Have been to NABU who were useless Any ideas would be welcome Great video and thanks as always ..All the best and have a great week .. 👍 Helena
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Helena. I have a friend who is involved with bird ringing and tracking for the BTO so I have passed on that information and will get back to you if they can give me any clues. Thanks :)
@HelenaMikas
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife Oh Liam you are terrific and I appreciate that If your friend can't find out I'm no worse off But it is a lovely gull Got a nice photo of it so it would be terrific to know something ..Thanks a lot for being you .. :)
sending support ganda sa ibon
Brilliant videos Liam. Keep them coming.
Good morning, beautiful and very very best and good FANTASTIC channel ok 👍🆗😊
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much 👍
@Tom-zq7lu
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife HAPPY DAY 👍
Didn't know they indulge in brood parasitism. Nice video on a familiar, yet beautiful and characterful bird.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks. I am limited in what I can include in these videos whilst keeping them snappy but if you have 10 minutes have a look at their other interesting nesting/egg laying strategies online. They get up to all sorts.
A brilliant insight into the Black Headed Gull. They are so intelligent ,have incredible skills and awareness of their surroundings.
Great and interesting to watch. Greetings Jacq
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you
lovely info i saw a bonapartes in southern maine today at the beach
I'm DYING those chicks are so cute! Also I love how they shuffle along at 1:01. I wonder why they don't live in central Wales or the highlands. I'd be gutted not to have the screeching cuties where I live.
@nicolafigini6346
2 жыл бұрын
They do live in The Highlands, actually. I spent two years living there, in The Cairngorms National Park, and there was a large flock flying around above a waterlogged field near Insh every time I drove past.
@monikudla5918
Жыл бұрын
In the city too now. I just saw them first time in McDonald's car parc in Inverness. I was so amazed by their beauty 😊 That black head 😍
Black headed seagulls are also cannibals and will often eat unwatched chicks. They also get rid of eggshells after the babies hatch which helps reduce predators
I love love love this video!
Thanks for the facts about the Black-headed gulls Liam! Greetings and have a good day! // Bertil.
Very beautiful birbs 👍🙋
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Cheers!
I live in Wales and there’s loads of them living in Caerphilly town centre ,i love your videos ❤️
Nice one dude! I think the only bit I didn't know was the occasional brood parasitism. As per my recent "Access Denied" video, the 1st winter birds can be distinguished not only by the darker feathers remaining on their wings, but also by the bill and legs being a washed out orange colour rather than the red of the adults. 👍🙂👍
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Ahh, I havent noticed that before despite watching your video. Sometimes not all the information goes in, no matter how much I am enjoying what I watch. I hope all is well with you and the family mate.
@NaturallyCuriousUK
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife Ha ha! No worries mate! Yeah all good here thanks 🙂👍
Wow great video. Lots of great information. this is a great KZread channel
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you. I'm glad you liked the video and channel :)
Thanks 👍
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Cheers!
Amazing!
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@paulannable3734
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife I love watching Black Headed Gulls… you really see the dinosaur in these birds. Anyway, great films!
Kehaar from Watership Down brought me here
They are my fav gulls just below herring Gulls and also they are the species Keeha is in watership down
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Ohh, I haven't seen watership down but that's an interesting fact, makes sense with their call I suppose. Cheers.
I saw fishy the feather family KZreadr and i was like whaoh whats a black headed seagull
they also like sitting and floating on water like ducks do.
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, I saw some standing on the frozen lajevwith one foot recently, just like mallards do.
The black headed gull isn’t a black headed gull in the winter, much nicer than the bigger sky rat gull that eats everything including other birds
🍟🍟🍟🍟
I pay my tv licence?
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
I think this is a compliment lol.
@martin.trainer
2 жыл бұрын
@@AShotOfWildlife Great Videos 👍
@AShotOfWildlife
2 жыл бұрын
@@martin.trainer Thanks!