Fun Black-tailed Gull Facts For Kids
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This gull is a type of bird found in the northern hemisphere. It breeds around the north Pacific and Arctic oceans, as well as across North America.
The black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris) is a medium-sized gull. Adults are white with black wingtips and tail feathers, as well as red spots on their bills which they use to attract mates during the breeding season.
Juvenile birds have speckled brown plumage until they reach four years of age, when this fades into adult colors. They live year-round near open water but may fly inland for food where rainfall tends to be higher than coastal regions.
They primarily feed at sea level, eating fish or crustaceans washed ashore by waves and currents. However, they occasionally will scavenge garbage disposed of carelessly along seashores too!
Black-tailed gulls are one of the largest gull species and they can have a huge wingspan. They feed on other animals’ eggs and chicks, as well as garbage scraps like french fries from fast-food restaurants. They also enjoy eating live prey including crabs and small fish caught in the coastal waters where they breed.
The black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris) is also known for its intelligence; it has been observed using tools such as fishing floats or logs to reach otherwise inaccessible objects that might contain food or nesting materials!
These birds only breed near their breeding grounds from May to September when food supply peaks after winter storms erode ice from shallow inland lakes.
For more relatable content, check out these mockingbird facts and western bluebird facts for kids.
Black-Tailed Gull Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a black-tailed gull?
The black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris) is a beautiful bird with long, black wings.
What class of animal does a black-tailed gull belong to?
The black-tailed gull is a type of bird that can be found in the area surrounding North America. It belongs to the class Aves, which includes animals with two legs and wings for flight, such as the eastern kingbird!
How many black-tailed gulls are there in the world?
Scientists estimate that their population ranges anywhere from 5 million-30 million individuals.
Where does a black-tailed gull live?
The black-tailed gull is a seabird that typically lives on the coastlines of Alaska, Canada, and North America. It prefers rocky shores with cliffs where it can nest in isolation from human disturbance.
What is a black-tailed gull's habitat?
A typical black-tailed gull habitat includes remote islands, such as the Aleutian Islands and Japan's Hokkaido Island in North America.
On these coasts, they live near bodies of fresh water like rivers or lakes during the breeding season because that is where their favorite food (fish) can be easily obtained from fishing boats nearby.
In the winter months, when fish swim deep into saltwater for protection against warmer temperatures, black-tailed gulls migrate to more temperate coastal regions with plenty of inland waterways and shallow bays with fisheries for easy feeding opportunities!
Who do black-tailed gulls live with?
A study was done on the nesting habits of black-tail gulls, and it found that they mostly nest in large groups or colonies near water sources such as coastal beaches and lakeshores.
How long does a black-tailed gull live?
The average lifespan for this gull is 20 years.
How do they reproduce?
These gulls have always been intriguing creatures, but what makes these birds even more fascinating is that they don't stay with one partner or mate exclusively in the breeding season as most other species do.
Males and females live separately throughout this bird's range during the breeding season, but they come together before mating to build nests made of mud or seaweed on coastal cliffs.
What is their conservation status?
These gulls, with the Japanese name 'umineko', have the IUCN conservation status of Least Concern.
Black-Tailed Gull Fun Facts
What do black-tailed gulls look like?
These gulls have a black tail and gray back, with lighter underparts. The most notable feature of these birds is their black-tipped wings which resemble an X from afar. They also have distinctive red eyes with yellow rings around them and they sport pretty yellow legs.
How cute are they?
These birds have black wings with white speckles on them as well as red eyes and yellow bill tips during the breeding season which make for an interesting looking bird!
How do they communicate?
These gulls have a complex language of clucking, chirping, and whistling sounds to relay messages from one bird to another when nearby or in flight. When heard together these short vocalizations form longer melodies that are used for courtship rituals during breeding season as well as territorial disputes.
How big is a black-tailed gull?
A black-tailed gull is typically 16-20 in (43-52 cm) in length and sports a 48-50 in (126-128 cm) wingspan, making it one of the largest birds on earth.
How fast can a black-tailed gull move?
These birds are large seagulls that can fly up to 45 mph (70 kph). They engage in aerial dogfights with other gull species like ring-billed gulls.
How much does a black-tailed gull weigh?
This gull sits at 0.9-1.4 lb (430-650 g). These birds typically range between different sizes depending on climate differences, but they can be seen anywhere up North America all the way down into Central American countries.
What are their male and female names of the species?
These birds do not have specific names for males and females, both are generally referred to as gulls.
What would you call a baby black-tailed gull?
Babies of these birds go by the name chicks or baby gulls!
What do they eat?
This bird has an insatiable appetite and will eat anything small enough to fit in its beak, including fish, crabs, shrimps, and mollusks like octopuses.
Are they dangerous?
This gull is a large, powerful bird that can be dangerous to those who are not careful around it. These birds have sharp talons and heavy bills which they will use against any unsuspecting humans!
Would they make a good pet?
This gull is an elegant bird but it is a wild bird so it should not be kept as a pet.
Did you know...
As the sun goes down, you can hear one of nature's most beautiful sounds when these gulls are around. The black-tailed gull call is a sign that it will soon be dark and it is time to go home for dinner.
What is the difference between a gull and a seagull?
Seagulls are typically larger than their shorebird cousins, gulls. They also have long necks with shorter wingspans relative to other bird species found on land because most of their time is spent out at sea! A gull's feathers tend to have darker colors when compared to those of seagulls, but some seagulls can have black feathers.
Comparisons with other gulls
These black-tailed birds are not like most seagull breeds because they can't fly over long distances without rest. Instead, they rely solely on water currents for transportation from place to place. Also, the black-tailed gull sound is very peculiar and unique.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these sea eagle facts and harpy eagle facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable black tailed gull coloring pages.
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Iram AshfaqBachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of Public Health
With a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery from Shaney Institute of Health Sciences and a Master's degree in Public Health from Imperial College London, Iram is a highly qualified and accomplished writer from Srinagar, India. Over the course of a year, she has acquired multiple writing certifications, focusing on health sciences and research studies. Prior to joining Kidadl, Iram gained valuable experience working as a content writer for Indian firms and interning at a New York-based company. Her expertise and passion for writing shine through in her ability to create compelling content across a variety of topics.
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