Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 11.4–11.8 in
29–30 cm - Wingspan
- 24 in
61 cm - Weight
- 3.5–5.3 oz
100–150 g
Other Names
- Mouette pygmée (French)
- Gaviota mínima (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The first record of Little Gull in North America was in 1819, but the first nest was not discovered until 1962. After that time, numbers increased and sightings became more frequent. Whether the species had always been present in small numbers or if it newly colonized the continent in the 1960s is unknown.
- In North America the Little Gull is most frequently observed during winter and on migration in groups of one to three, usually associated with larger flocks of Bonaparte's Gulls.
- A Little Gull chick banded in Sweden was found dead on the road in Pennsylvania in its first summer.
Habitat
Lake/Pond
Breeds in shallow, freshwater wetlands, such as marshes. Winters along coasts, large lakes, and rivers.
Food
Insects
Flying insects, small fish, and aquatic invertebrates.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–4 eggs
- Egg Description
- Olive to buff, marked with numerous small spots and blotches of dark brown, often concentrated around the larger end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Semiprecocial with eyes open. Covered in down. Able to stand within a day, leave nest within a few days of hatching.
Nest Description
A floating platform of vegetation, placed in thick reeds above water.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Dabbler
Flies along and plucks food from surface of water.
Conservation
Least Concern
Very small population in North America. Increased since 1960s.
Credits
- Ewins, P. J., and D. V. Weseloh. 1999. Little Gull (Larus minutus). In The Birds of North America, No. 428 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.