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''Larus novaehollandiae'' | ''Larus novaehollandiae'' | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Red-billed Gull.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Red-billed Gull (''C. n. scopulinus'')<br />Photo by {{user|Janha|Janha}}<br />Invercargill, [[New Zealand]], October 2004.]] | |
| − | + | 38-43 cm (15-17 in) | |
| − | + | *White head, tail and underparts | |
| + | *Pale grey back and wings | ||
| + | ** Wings black-tipped with white 'mirrors' | ||
| + | *Reddish, legs and eye-ring | ||
| + | *Black-tipped red bill | ||
| + | *White iris | ||
| + | '''Young Birds''': lack the red eye-ring, have a black bill which turns red as they mature, leaving just the tip black. | ||
====Similar species==== | ====Similar species==== | ||
None within its Australian range, but in [[New Zealand]], care is needed to distinguish the rare [[Black-billed Gull]], which shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but has a slenderer black bill, slightly less black on the primaries, and in summer, also darker legs. Within the genus ''Chroicocephalus'', [[Slender-billed Gull]] also shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but does not occur anywhere nearby. | None within its Australian range, but in [[New Zealand]], care is needed to distinguish the rare [[Black-billed Gull]], which shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but has a slenderer black bill, slightly less black on the primaries, and in summer, also darker legs. Within the genus ''Chroicocephalus'', [[Slender-billed Gull]] also shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but does not occur anywhere nearby. | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | |||
[[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and surrounding islands. | [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and surrounding islands. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| + | [[Image:Silver_Gulls.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''C. n. novaehollandiae'', first-winter (front) & two adults.<br />Photo by {{user|Neil|Neil Fifer}}<br /> Sydney, [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]], December 2004]] | ||
As with other species of ''Chroicocephalus'', Silver Gull was formerly placed in the genus ''[[:Category:Larus|Larus]]''. | As with other species of ''Chroicocephalus'', Silver Gull was formerly placed in the genus ''[[:Category:Larus|Larus]]''. | ||
| − | |||
====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
Three subspecies recognised, split into two species by Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> and formerly by IOC<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>, but not more recently by IOC<sup>[[#References|3]]</sup> nor by Dickinson<sup>[[#References|4]]</sup> | Three subspecies recognised, split into two species by Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> and formerly by IOC<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>, but not more recently by IOC<sup>[[#References|3]]</sup> nor by Dickinson<sup>[[#References|4]]</sup> | ||
| Line 25: | Line 30: | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Silver Gull 00000001 01.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Immature<br />Photo by {{user|Mzungu|Mzungu}}<br />Wellington Point, Brisbane, [[Queensland]], September 2017]] |
| − | Near water, both coastal and inland wetlands, | + | Near water, both coastal and inland wetlands. Sandy and rocky shores, parks, beaches and rubbish dumps. |
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | + | ====Diet==== | |
| − | + | They have a very varied diet, consisting of crustaceans, squid, insects, small fish, frogs and birds. They also scavenge from rubbish dumps. | |
| − | They nest in large colonies on offshore islands. | + | ====Breeding==== |
| − | + | They nest in large colonies on offshore islands. Both adults share nest-building, incubation and feeding duties. The clutch consists of 3 eggs which are laid in a shallow nest scrape, lined with vegetation. There may be two broods raised in a year. | |
| + | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
| + | [[Image:Image69.jpeg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Kay+Simpson|Kay Simpson}}<br />The Spit Gold Coast, [[Queensland]], November 2015]] | ||
| + | '''Call:''' a high pitched, raucous ''scrark''. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker10}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker16V6.4}}#{{Ref-HM04}}#{{Ref-HBWVol3}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017) |
| + | #BF Member observations | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 20:35, 12 September 2017
Silver Gull C. n. novaehollandiae, adult
Photo by Peter Day
Swanport Wetlands, Murray Bridge, Adelaide, South Australia, April 2016.
Photo by Peter Day
Swanport Wetlands, Murray Bridge, Adelaide, South Australia, April 2016.
- Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Larus novaehollandiae
Identification
38-43 cm (15-17 in)
- White head, tail and underparts
- Pale grey back and wings
- Wings black-tipped with white 'mirrors'
- Reddish, legs and eye-ring
- Black-tipped red bill
- White iris
Young Birds: lack the red eye-ring, have a black bill which turns red as they mature, leaving just the tip black.
Similar species
None within its Australian range, but in New Zealand, care is needed to distinguish the rare Black-billed Gull, which shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but has a slenderer black bill, slightly less black on the primaries, and in summer, also darker legs. Within the genus Chroicocephalus, Slender-billed Gull also shares the white iris and unmarked white head, but does not occur anywhere nearby.
Distribution
Australia, New Zealand and surrounding islands.
Taxonomy
C. n. novaehollandiae, first-winter (front) & two adults.
Photo by Neil Fifer
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, December 2004
Photo by Neil Fifer
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, December 2004
As with other species of Chroicocephalus, Silver Gull was formerly placed in the genus Larus.
Subspecies
Three subspecies recognised, split into two species by Clements1 and formerly by IOC2, but not more recently by IOC3 nor by Dickinson4
- C. n. forsteri in northern Australia, New Caledonia, and the Loyalty Islands
- C. n. novaehollandiae in southern Australia and Tasmania
- C. n. scopulinus (Red-billed Gull; syn. C. scopulinus) in New Zealand, Chatham, Auckland and adjacent islands
Some authorities also recognise C. n. gunni in Tasmania, but it intergrades clinally with C. n. novaehollandiae5.
Habitat
Near water, both coastal and inland wetlands. Sandy and rocky shores, parks, beaches and rubbish dumps.
Behaviour
Diet
They have a very varied diet, consisting of crustaceans, squid, insects, small fish, frogs and birds. They also scavenge from rubbish dumps.
Breeding
They nest in large colonies on offshore islands. Both adults share nest-building, incubation and feeding duties. The clutch consists of 3 eggs which are laid in a shallow nest scrape, lined with vegetation. There may be two broods raised in a year.
Vocalisation
Call: a high pitched, raucous scrark.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2010. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.7). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2016. IOC World Bird Names (version 6.4). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Dickinson, EC, ed. 2014. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 4th ed. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0956861122
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334207
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Silver Gull. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Silver_Gull
External Links
