Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Mrs. Tipton Period 8

Naming  Laughing Gull's English name is derived from its loud kee-agh call, which sounds like a high- pitched laugh "ha... ha... ha..."

Kingdom:Animalia Phylum:Chordata Class:Aves Order:Charadriiformes Suborder:Lari Family:Laridae Genus:Larus Species:atricilla Scientific Classification

Birth/Juveniles  Reproduce sexually  Mobile from the moment of hatching  Incubation lasts between 22 and 26 days  Both parents feed the chicks  Young gulls leave the nest around days after hatching

Adults  They spend their day flying around looking for food  They congregate in large flocks

 They are omnivores  They will eat insects, fish, shellfish, and trash  They often steal food from pelicans and other seagulls after they have made a catch Feeding

 Live mainly on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States  They spend the winter in the Caribbean Location

 Seagulls should not be kept as pets  Seagulls have been known to live as long as 40 years in captivity and as long as years in the wild Captivity

 They can be aggressive when feeding, and have been seen snatching fish out of pelicans' pouches or stealing food from other birds  Excellent fliers and will soar for long periods  Here is what one looks like after an oil spill off the coast of Louisiana  Interesting Facts

 Google images Google images    Gull.htm Gull.htm Works Cited