Caspian Gull
Larus cachinnans
Caspian Gulls are nicknamed 'laughing gulls' in several languages due to their deep, nasal, laughing long-call, delivered with wings swept back.
- Scientific name
- Larus cachinnans
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Charadriiformes › Laridae › Larus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Coastal beaches, rocky shores, steppe lakes, large rivers, reservoirs, and urban areas like landfills.
- Diet
- Omnivorous scavenger feeding on fish, aquatic invertebrates, small rodents, eggs, carrion, and human refuse.
- Range
- Black Sea coast, Caspian Sea coast, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Western European coasts
- Size
- Wingspan of 130-155 cm; weight of 700-1200 grams.
- Lifespan
- 15 to 20 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Water pollution, chemical contaminants, human disturbance during nesting, and localized culling programs.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans, though highly defensive and vocal near nesting sites. Maintain a safe distance of at least 15 meters to avoid provoking mobbing behavior. Do not feed, as this encourages aggressive scavenging. If bitten or scratched, wash the wound thoroughly with clean water and soap, and apply disinfectant.
The Caspian gull (taxon Larus cachinnans) is a large gull and a member of the herring and lesser black-backed gull complex. The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and cachinnans means "laughing", from cachinnare , "to laugh".
Photo: Julien Fougeroux, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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