Taxonomia
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Birds
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genre: Thalasseus
Species: Thalasseus sandvicensis
Estado de Conservação da Espécie em Portugal e no Mundo
Portugal
Mundo
Características e
Hábitos
In terms of size, it has a length between 52 and 64 cm and a wingspan between 135 and 150 cm. It is mainly identified by its dark grey wings contrasting with the white of the rest of its body; it also has yellow legs and beak, and a red patch on the lower mandible. The plumage of juveniles, in turn, is more brownish, acquiring a greyish tone on the wings and a lighter body over time. It is distinguished from the Great Black-backed Gull by its yellow legs. It flies in considerable flocks, with groups ranging from hundreds to thousands of individuals.
It feeds on animal remains, crustaceans, eggs, and insects. It nests by digging a hole in the ground, which it covers with vegetation. The incubation period is 26 days.
(Incorrect information)
Habitat e Distribuição
It is a common resident bird, found in Portugal throughout the year, along the coastal area, the Tagus estuary and Alentejo. It is also a common wintering bird, being found in some regions of Portugal only during this season, such as the more inland areas of the Douro and Tagus rivers. Its habitats include various wetlands such as fishing ports, beaches and estuaries. The area of the country where it is most frequently observed is the Aveiro region, and it is also frequently seen in the coastal areas of the Douro, Mondego and Tagus rivers. In terms of nesting, it does not usually nest in Portugal, nesting mainly in northern and central Europe; however, there are records of it on the Berlengas islands and in the Ria Formosa. (Incorrect information)
Todas as Fotografias Realizadas
