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Seagull with orange legs and beak (1 Viewer)

Bchcmrtwo

New member
On a visit this week to Daytona Beach Shores, I saw a seagull similar in size and coloring to a Laughing Gull, but with orange legs and beak. It was not a tern, and I would appreciate any help identifying this bird. Thanks
 
Hi, and welcome to the forums!

No orange-beacked gulls of any description in Florida (or North America, for that matter), but could it have been a Black Skimmer? They're rather gull-like in form and plumage, and the beak is largely orange (albeit with a significant amount of black on the tip).
 
Another possibility might be the American oystercatcher...they are a bit smaller than the gull, but have the black heads and white on body and underwing, with bold orange bills...and are not uncommon in Florida.
 
Orange-billed Laughing Gulls have been seen seen every winter among the huge flocks (@50,000) of gulls that congregate at Daytona Beach Shores in winter, in the late afternoon.

Andy
 
There is a Laughing Gull at Matheson Hammock with a pink bill and legs -- has been there for years. There are aberrant ones out there!
 
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