Black-headed gull
Scientific name: Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Overview
The black-headed gull is a small gull that breeds in much of the Palearctic in Europe and Asia, and also locally in smaller numbers in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory and winters further south, but many also remain in the milder areas of northwestern Europe. It was formerly sometimes cited as "common black-headed gull" to distinguish it from "great black-headed gull".
From the Wikipedia article “Black-headed gull”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Conservation status
Least concern on the IUCN Red List, as recorded on Wikidata, citing The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023.1.
Size and lifespan
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Adult weight (male) | 294 g |
| Adult weight (female) | 267 g |
Source: Wikidata, citing “AVIAN BODY SIZES IN RELATION TO FECUNDITY, MATING SYSTEM, DISPLAY BEHAVIOR, AND RESOURCE SHARING”, article by Terje Lislevand et al published June 2007 in Ecology.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Africa; Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China); North America; Southern Asia.
Common names
Also known in English as Common Black-headed Gull.
Names in other languages (11)
- Arabic
- نورس أسود الرأس
- Chinese
- 紅嘴鷗, 红嘴鸥
- French
- Mouette rieuse
- German
- Lachmöwe
- Indonesian
- camar kepala-hitam, Camar perak
- Japanese
- ユリカモメ
- Persian
- کاکایی سرسیاه کوچک
- Portuguese
- garrincho-comum, guincho, guincho-comum
- Russian
- Озёрная чайка
- Spanish
- Gaviota encapuchada, Gaviota reidora
- Turkish
- Karabaş martı
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — conservation status, measurements, names in other languages. Q25634, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Black-headed gull”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
- Range map — SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026