Somewhat similar to the Black-headed Gull, but larger, without a hood, slenderer and with a longer bill. The bill and legs are red. In summer, the adult’s breast turns pinkish. Its iris is clear, which also helps its identification.
Species 1
Slender-billed Gull
Scientific name
Chroicocephalus genei
Family 2
Laridae
Taxonomic Affinity Group 3
Gulls and Terns
Phenology 4
It is considered a sedentary bird, although it moves from its breeding sites to places as yet not fully known. The ‘Paraje Natural Punta Entinas-Sabinar’ (Nature Reserve) it is one of the few places on the Iberian Peninsula where it breeds, and this is reflected in the local population, during the summer it is most likely to be seen in July. This winter movement may have an influence on the fact that October is the month with the highest absolute number of sightings, accounting for almost half the annual total.
The graph represents the probability of seeing a species during the year, grouped into months. The vertical axis indicates the percentage value. Each of the bars expresses its value. The horizontal axis represents the months: I = January, II = February, III = March, IV = April, V = May, VI = June, VII = July, VIII = August, IX = September, X = October, XI = November and XII = December.
Observation recommendations
It is a bird that, despite its uniqueness, is easy to watch, both feeding and resting, and in spring it is easy to see couples forming and courting. It should not be forgotten that it is a species classified as “vulnerable to extinction”, among other reasons because of the few breeding sites
Observation areas where we can find it
Notes
[1] The names used are from the list of birds of Spain, drawn up by SEO/BirdLife and updated to 2019 (https://seo.org/listaavesdeespana/). The reference is: Rouco, M., Copete, J. L., De Juana, E., Gil-Velasco, M., Lorenzo, J. A., Martín, M., Milá, B., Molina, B. & Santos, D. M. 2019. Checklist of the birds of Spain. 2019 edition. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
[2] The taxonomic family to which it belongs is indicated.
[3] Traditionally, waterbirds have been grouped according to their taxonomy or “taxonomic affinity”, i.e., when some birds coincide in certain features that allow them to be classified scientifically, but without leaving the rigour of science, they are put together in these groups so that they can be easily recognised. These groups are the following: Greves (belonging to the Podicipedae family), Herons and Similar (includes the families: Ardeidae -Herons- Ciconiidae -Storks- and Threskiornithidae -Ibises and spoonbills-), Ducks (the whole Anatidae family), Coots and Similar (the family Rallidae corresponding to Rails, Gallinules and Coots), Cranes (also with only one family, the Gruidae), Waders , a heterogeneous group, the most diverse of this classification, includes the families Burhinidae (Stone-curlews), Haematopodidae (Oystercather), Recurvirostridade (Avocets and Stilts), Glareolidae (Pranticole), Charadriidadea (Plovers), Scolapacidae and finally Gulls and Similar (the recently unified family Laridae, i.e. Gulls and Terns).
[4] Phenology studies the relationship between the cycles of living beings and meteorological factors, and in our latitude these factors manifest themselves as variations throughout the year, thus relating the seasons to the birds’ cycles (breeding, migratory journeys, etc.) The graph shows the probability of seeing a bird depending on the month. It uses data from 48 bird censuses carried out between October 2016 and September 2018. The method used is that of a census route with sampling stations, with a total count on the sheet of water.