Hydrocoloeus minutus
The Little Gull, *Hydrocoloeus minutus*, is a captivating and aptly named species, being the smallest true gull in the world. Measuring a mere 25-27 cm in length with a wingspan of 61-78 cm and weighing 68-162 grams, it is notably smaller and more agile than its larger cousins. Adults in breeding plumage are unmistakable, sporting a deep black head, a slender dark red bill, and distinctive dark, sooty-gray underwings, a unique feature among gulls. Their body is primarily white with a pearly g...
Primarily found in freshwater wetlands, including reedy lakes, slow-moving rivers, and bogs, often at low elevations. It also utilizes coastal lagoons, estuaries, and sheltered marine bays during migration and winter.
Feeds mainly on aquatic and terrestrial insects (e.g., midges, caddisflies, beetles), which it catches in flight, supplemented by small fish, crustaceans, and other marine invertebrates obtained by surface dipping or shallow plunging.
Little Gulls are primarily diurnal, engaging in active foraging throughout the day and typically roosting in flocks on open water or shorelines at night. Their foraging strategies are remarkably agile and tern-like; they predominantly hawk insects in flight, snatching them from the air or surface...
The Little Gull has a widespread Palearctic breeding range extending from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe eastward across Russia to Siberia. In North America, it has established scattered, though increasing, breeding colonies, primarily within the Great Lakes region and occasionally along the Atla...
Least Concern
- The Little Gull is the smallest true gull species in the world, often leading to it being mistaken for a tern. - Unlike most gulls, adult Little Gulls possess uniquely entirely dark, sooty-gray underwings, a key identification feature in all plumages. - Juveniles can be identified by a distinct...