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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Little Gull

Little Gull

Larius minutus

Gaelic: Faoileag-bheag

Photography © Debbie Bozkurt
Benbecula - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
18th February, 2007

 

• Little Gull
• Larus minutus
• Gaelic: Faoileag-bheag
• UK: Passage - winter visitor
• UK: winter 400-800, spring 200-700 BTO
• W: Scarce passage visitor (very small numbers each year)
• Breeds: North America, Asia
• Winters: North USA, South Europe
• Habitat: Breeding - Colonies in grassy freshwater marsh. Winter - estuaries, lochs, fields
• Smallest gull, only 26cm (approx size of a Blackbird). Adults flight Tern-like but rounded wings, pale grey upperwing - no black wingtips, dark grey underwing. Summer bird pale grey, black head. Winter: head goes white, darker cap & eye-spot . Bill thin & black. Legs dark red.
  Juveniles: Dark wing mark "W" .
• Diet: summer mostly insects. Winter, fish, invertebrates (marine)
• Listen to Little Gull (RSPB site)

 

Little Gull records in the Western Isles

Scarce passage visitor (very small numbers each year)
(Source: Outer Hebrides Bird Report)

The chart below shows how abundant the Little Gull is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

Debbie's online photo album

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