Black-Headed Gull: a two-minute wildlife lesson

At the Seaside · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. The black-headed gull's head is not black but chocolate-brown. It only looks black from a distance.
2. Black-headed gulls can live beyond three decades. The longest-recorded wild bird reached 32.9 years.
3. Their range keeps creeping west: they settled in Iceland (1911), Greenland (1969) and Newfoundland (1977).
4. Sibling chicks learn to beg for food together. In their last week in the nest, they time their calls to save each one effort.
5. In shallow water, black-headed gulls use a head-bobbing walk that helps them gauge depth and detect prey movement.

The quiz

1. What colour is a black-headed gull's head, really?

• Jet black
• Pale grey
• Chocolate-brown (correct)
• Bright red

The head is chocolate-brown, though it looks black from a distance.

2. How old was the longest-recorded wild black-headed gull?

• 3.9 years
• 32.9 years (correct)
• 12.9 years
• 52.9 years

The longest-recorded wild bird reached 32.9 years.

3. Which place did black-headed gulls first colonise in 1969?

• Iceland
• Newfoundland
• Norway
• Greenland (correct)

They first colonised Greenland in 1969.

4. When do black-headed gull siblings synchronize their begging calls?

• During their last week in the nest (correct)
• On the first day
• Before hatching
• Only in winter

The siblings start coordinating their calls during their last week in the nest.

5. What kind of walk do black-headed gulls use in shallow water?

• A hopping walk
• A backwards walk
• A head-bobbing walk (correct)
• A sideways shuffle

They use a head-bobbing walk to gauge depth and detect prey movement.

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