Fun Grey Gull Facts For Kids
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The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, is also commonly referred to as the garuma gull. This gull is indigenous to South America.
It is a member of the Laridae family and belongs to the Leucophaeus genus. It can be confused with the grey-headed gull, which is a completely different species of the genus Chroicocephalus.
Male and female birds of this species are similar in appearance. Grey gull adults can grow up to 18 in (45.7 cm) in length and can weigh between the range of 13-14 oz (368.5-396.8 g). The color of this bird's head changes with the season!
In the summer season it is white in color, whereas in the winter season, it becomes brownish-grey. The wings and body of the grey gull are grey-colored with the upper side being darker than the underside.
The grey gull inhabits mudflats and sandy beaches along South America's western coasts where it feeds upon mole crabs, fish, nereid worms, and offal. This bird breeds inland in northern Chile's dry Atacama Desert, which is quite unusual for gull birds.
It also occurs across its non-breeding range which comprises much of South America's Pacific coast, namely, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. It has also been seen in the Falkland Islands, the South Sandwich Islands, and south Georgia.
This bird has a restricted breeding range and its population has been observed to be declining slightly.
However, as it is present in abundant numbers, it has been listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Keep reading to get to know more about the world of the grey gull!
If you enjoyed reading our grey gull facts, you must check out our rhinoceros auklet facts for kids and ring-billed gull fun facts!
Grey Gull Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a grey gull?
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, is a bird that is a member of the family Laridae.
What class of animal does a grey gull belong to?
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, is a gull of medium size that belongs to the class of Aves.
How many grey gulls are there in the world?
There are more than 100,000 pairs of this species in the world.
Where does a grey gull live?
The grey gull lives on mudflats and sandy beaches. It breeds in the inland area of Chile and can be found across South America's Pacific coast, namely across, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. It has also been seen in the Falkland Islands, the South Sandwich Islands, and south Georgia.
What is a grey gull's habitat?
This bird forages along any sandy coastal beach within its range and offshore in waters too. It is known to breed in the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert, which is located 22-62 mi (35.4-99.7 km) inland from northern Chile's coast.
Who do grey gulls live with?
Like kelp gulls, grey gulls are gregarious birds that rest, breed, and feed together.
How long does a grey gull live?
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, can live for 15-20 years in captivity. However, one bird lived up to 30 years!
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season of grey gulls in the wild is between November and January. In captivity, they breed between April and June. It was discovered in 1945 that these birds breed in Chile's interior regions, in the Atacama Desert!
Their breeding environment is arid and hot, leading to safety from many predators. The nest is located near rocks where one to three eggs are laid that go through incubation for 29-31 days. After hatching, the parents take turns bringing food from the sea to feed their young.
What is their conservation status?
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, is listed as a Least Concern species by the IUCN.
Grey Gull Fun Facts
What do grey gulls look like?
Male and female birds of this species are similar in appearance. The grey gull can grow up to 18 in (45.7 cm) in length and can weigh between the range of 13-14 oz (368.5-396.8 g). The color of its head changes with the season!
In the summer season it is white in color, whereas in the winter season, it becomes brownish-grey. The wings and body of the grey gull are grey-colored with the upper side being darker than the underside.
It has black-colored flight feathers with white tips. Its tail possesses a black band that has a white-colored trailing edge. The iris is brown in color with a black beak and legs.
How cute are they?
This species of the family Laridae is quite cute. Adults of this species change the color of their heads with each changing season!
How do they communicate?
These birds communicate with each other vocally through calls. The call of the grey gull sounds very much like the call of the laughing gull. The call is long and sounds like 'wa-wa-wa-wheeeaaaoow'!
How big is a grey gull?
Adults of this species can grow up to 18 in (45.7 cm) which is the same as the length of the Rufous owl!
How fast can a grey gull fly?
The speed of the grey gull has not been evaluated yet. However, the speed of a gull can range between 15-28 mph (24.1-45 kph)!
How much does a grey gull weigh?
This grey gull ranges between 13-14 oz (368.5-396.8 g) in weight!
What are their male and female names of the species?
A male grey gull can be referred to as a 'cock', and a female grey gull can be referred to as a 'hen'.
What would you call a baby grey gull?
A baby of a grey gull can be known as a 'chick'.
What do they eat?
These birds forage in the sea and across beaches. They feed upon mole crabs, fish, nereid worms, and offal. Their major predator is the turkey vulture.
Are they dangerous?
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, has never proven to be fatal towards humans. However, gulls are known to peck on people to snatch their food at beaches!
Would they make a good pet?
No, grey gull birds would not make a good pet as they are not used to being domesticated and their natural habitat cannot be replicated in a human house.
Did you know...
The grey gull, Leucophaeus modestus, has the largest eyes of all species of Laridae!
The great black-backed gull is the biggest gull in the world.
Is there a difference between gulls and seagulls?
No, there is no difference between gulls and seagulls. The word seagull is an informal way to refer to the Laridae family's species, which are referred to as gulls. No species is formally called a seagull and the word 'seagull' has nothing to do with the age of a gull.
How to help grey gulls
Grey gulls are listed as a Least Concern species by the IUCN as they are present in abundance. However, these birds face difficulties as a result of storms that cause breeding failures and as a result of a loss of eggs due to predation.
These birds live in a marine ecosystem that is known to be one of the world's most productive ones, leading to them often being disturbed by the activities of humans.
These birds can be conserved by reducing human disturbances in their region. This is how we can help them!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our wigeon facts for kids and least auklet surprising facts pages!
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable seagull coloring pages!
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