Birds and wildlife

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundusGroup: Gulls and ternsUK Conservation status:Amber

How to identify

Not really a black-headed bird, the Black-headed Gull's head is more chocolate-brown. In fact, for much of the year, it has a white head. It's most commonly found almost anywhere inland. Black-headed Gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting.

Call

Black-headed Gull

Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

  • A brown head during the breeding season
  • A pale head with a black ear spot over the rest of the year
  • Look out for the deep red bill
  • They’re around 35cm long
  • They’re noisy gulls, prone to squawking
Black-headed Gull, in winter plumage perched on a fence post
Black-headed Gull
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Conservation status

Amber-listed. While population numbers are stable, they’re becoming increasingly absent through winter in areas of Wales, Ireland and Scotland. 

Where and when to see them

Difficulty rating - Easy

Black-headed gulls can be seen all year round in the UK. You can see Black-headed Gulls almost anywhere inland, as well as near estuaries, reedbeds and gravel pits.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
UK distribution map for Black-headed Gull
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Behaviour

Sociable, a bit quarrelsome, and noisy, they feed on worms, insects, fish, and carrion.

Like other members of their family, Black-headed Gulls are adaptable, and these colonies are as at home on our coastlines as they are in our towns. Large groups of birds are often seen following tractors on our farmland, too.  

Nesting

Black-headed Gulls tend to nest on the ground in tightly packed colonies within dense vegetation. The female lays two or three eggs between April and May.

Did you know?

The scientific name for the Black-headed Gull is Chroicocephalus ridibundus. Which translates to ‘coloured head laughing gull’ based on their plumage and iconic call.

Black-headed Gull at RSPB St Aidan's
Black-headed Gull
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Key facts