| Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826)) |
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Scientific name: Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) Common name: Silver Gull French name: Mouette argentée, Mouette australienne. Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae Size: Body size: 40 to 45 cm; Weight: 260 to 350 g; Wingspan: 91 to 96 cm. Habitat: Sandy or rocky marine coasts but also inland, large lakes, cultivated areas, parks in urban areas, near garbage dumps. Food: Fish, marine or terrestrial invertebrates, detritus, seeds and berries. Nesting: Silver Gulls nest in colonies usually located on offshore islands. The nests, located on the ground, are small depressions lined with plants. There are two clutches of two to three eggs per year. Migration: Sedentary. Geographic area: Northern Australia, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands for the Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae forsteri subspecies, Southern Australia and Tasmania for the Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae novaehollandiae subspecies and New Zealand for the Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus subspecies also called Red-billed Gull. |
The Silver Gull has an overall white plumage and silvery grey on the back. The tips of the wings are spotted with black. The bill and legs are orange-red. There is also an orange-red eye ring. Juveniles have black bills and legs. There are brown spots on the wings. |
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Our picnic break at Porpoise Bay attracted a small flock of Silver Gulls which circled a few meters above our heads before landing nearby. |
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Given the location of observation this must be the Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus subspecies also called Red-billed Gull. |
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By moving a little closer, couldn't I have some crumbs from the picnic? |
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A visit to Katiki Point allowed us to observe a colony of Red-billed Gulls. |
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We were able to see many adults and juveniles with their brown spotted wings. |
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Here are some even younger chicks. |
André Bon March 2024