Brown-headed Gull vs African Skimmer

Larus brunnicephalus compared with Rynchops flavirostris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Brown-headed Gull African Skimmer
Scientific Name Larus brunnicephalus Rynchops flavirostris
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Laridae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 66.8 cm (26.3 in) 66.4 cm (26.1 in)
Weight 584.0 g (20.60 oz) 165.66666666666666 g (5.84 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1-4 1-5
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Brown-headed Gull only

None

African Skimmer only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Brown-headed Gull

Least Concern

African Skimmer

About These Birds

Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull, 41–46 cm, breeds at high-altitude Tibetan lakes and Central Asian wetlands, wintering on coasts from India to Southeast Asia. Brown hood in breeding plumage; white wing mirrors. Piscivore and invertivore; follows fishing activity in coastal bays.

African Skimmer

African Skimmer: 36–42 cm, black-and-white skimmer with a long bright orange-yellow bill where the lower mandible is longer than the upper. Flies low over large rivers and lakes, cutting the water surface with the lower bill to catch fish. Resident and partial migrant along large rivers and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa. NT.

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