Brown-headed Gull

About

The Brown-headed Gull is a medium-sized gull characterized by its distinctive brown head during the breeding season. It is an Old World species, widely distributed across Central Asia, breeding in high-altitude wetlands and migrating to coastal and inland waters of South and Southeast Asia for the non-breeding season. Its graceful flight and vocal nature make it a conspicuous bird in its habitats.

Size & lifespan

Length

41-45 cm (16-18 in)

Wingspan

105-115 cm (41-45 in)

Weight

350-500 g (12-18 oz)

Lifespan

Typically 10-15 years in the wild

Diet

Opportunistic omnivore, primarily feeding on insects, crustaceans, fish, worms, small mammals, eggs, carrion, and refuse. It also readily consumes scraps provided by humans.

Physical characteristics

Plumage

Breeding adults have a chocolate-brown head and neck, a white eye-crescent, a white body with a pale grey back and upper wings, black primary wingtips with white 'mirrors', and a deep reddish-orange bill and legs. Non-breeding adults have a white head with dusky smudges behind the eye and on the nape, a dark bill, and duller legs. The underparts are white.

Beak shape

Moderately long, slender, and slightly decurved, deep reddish-orange in breeding plumage, darker in non-breeding plumage and juveniles.

Eye color

Pale yellow, often with a white crescent around the eye that is more pronounced in breeding adults.

Leg color

Deep reddish-orange in breeding adults, duller orange to reddish-brown in non-breeding adults, and yellowish-orange in juveniles.

Distinguishing features

Breeding plumage: uniform brown head (not black), white eye-crescents, pale grey mantle, and black primary tips with white mirrors. Non-breeding plumage: distinctive dark ear spot and a less defined dark smudge on the nape.

Juvenile appearance

Juveniles have a mottled brown-and-white head and neck, brownish-grey upperparts with dark centers to the feathers giving a scaly appearance, a dark band on the tail, and yellowish-orange legs and a dark-tipped bill. They acquire adult-like plumage over two years.

Seasonal changes

Pronounced seasonal changes between breeding and non-breeding plumage. The most notable change is the head coloration, transitioning from chocolate-brown in breeding season to white with dark smudges in non-breeding season.

Sexual dimorphism

Males and females are similar in appearance, though males can be slightly larger on average.

How to identify

1. 1

   Breeding Head Color

   Look for the uniform chocolate-brown head and neck, a key differentiator from other similar gulls.

2. 2

   Eye-Crescent

   Note the prominent white crescent above and below the eye, especially visible against the brown head.

3. 3

   Wingtip Pattern

   Observe the extensive black primary tips with two distinct white 'mirrors' (patches) on the outer primaries, a good field mark in flight.

4. 4

   Bill and Leg Color

   In breeding adults, the deep reddish-orange bill and legs are distinctive. In non-breeding, the dark bill and duller legs, combined with head pattern, aid identification.

5. 5

   Non-breeding Head Pattern

   In winter, look for a pure white head with a distinct dark ear spot and often a dusky smudge on the nape, rather than a full dark hood.

Habitat & range

Biomes

Montane wetlands, high-altitude lakes, rivers, coastal estuaries, harbors, agricultural fields, and urban areas.

Geographic range

Breeds in high-altitude regions of Central Asia (Tibetan Plateau, Himalayas, and surrounding mountain ranges). Winters across South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka) and Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia).

Elevation range

Breeds at elevations typically between 2,000 and 5,000 meters (6,500-16,400 feet). Winters at sea level up to lower elevations.

Preferred environments

Freshwater and brackish lakes, large rivers, reservoirs, coastal mudflats, estuaries, and irrigated agricultural lands during winter. Breeding habitats include remote, often inaccessible, high-altitude lakes and marshes with sparse vegetation.

Behavior

Activity time

Primarily diurnal, actively foraging during daylight hours. Roosts colonially at night.

Feeding habits

Forages by picking items from the water surface or ground while walking, wading, or swimming. Also plunge-dives shallowly for fish and insects. Frequently follows fishing boats and scavenges around human settlements. Known to hawk insects in flight.

Social behavior

Highly gregarious, forming large colonies during breeding and congregating in large flocks during migration and wintering. Often seen roosting and feeding in mixed flocks with other gull species.

Flight pattern

Graceful and buoyant flight, often soaring on thermals. When migrating, they fly in V-formations or loose flocks. Agile in pursuit of insects.

Migration pattern

Long-distance migrant. Breeds in Central Asia and undertakes southward migration to South and Southeast Asia for the non-breeding season. Migration routes can cover thousands of kilometers, often following major river valleys and mountain passes.

Territoriality

Colonial breeder, with pairs defending a small territory around their nest within the larger colony. Feeding grounds are generally shared.

Breeding & reproduction

Breeding season

May to July, with peak egg-laying in late May to early June.

Nesting habits

Colonial nesters, often forming large, dense colonies of hundreds or even thousands of pairs on islands or secluded shores of high-altitude lakes and marshes. Nests are typically scrapes lined with vegetation, sometimes built up into a small mound.

Clutch size

2-4 eggs, most commonly 3.

Egg description

Typically 2-4 eggs, olive-brown to greenish-blue with dark brown spots and blotches. Dimensions are approximately 58 x 40 mm.

Incubation period

Around 22-26 days, primarily by the female, though both parents participate.

Fledging period

Chicks fledge around 35-40 days after hatching. They are semi-precocial.

Parental care

Both parents share incubation and brooding duties. They actively feed and defend the chicks until fledging, continuing to provide care for some time after they become airborne.

Where to find

Field tips

1. Scan large flocks. Brown-headed Gulls are gregarious; look for their distinctive head and wing patterns within mixed flocks of gulls and terns.
2. Observe foraging behavior. Watch for their characteristic surface-picking, wading, or shallow plunge-diving behavior in water bodies, or hawking insects in flight.
3. Listen for calls. Familiarize yourself with their nasal 'kwaaa' calls, especially around breeding colonies or feeding aggregations.
4. Consider seasonality. Remember the dramatic plumage changes between breeding and non-breeding seasons to avoid misidentification.

Similar species

Quick facts

Distinguishing Feature:

Chocolate-brown head (breeding) and white eye-crescents.

Primary Habitat:

High-altitude wetlands (breeding), coastal and inland waters (wintering).

Diet:

Omnivorous (insects, fish, crustaceans, carrion).

Sociality:

Highly colonial and gregarious.

Migration:

Long-distance intra-Asian migrant.

Fun facts

• The Brown-headed Gull is one of the few gull species that regularly breeds at very high altitudes, often above 4,000 meters in the Himalayas.
• Its impressive migratory journey takes it from the remote mountains of Central Asia to the warm coasts and plains of South and Southeast Asia.
• These gulls are often seen interacting with humans, readily taking food scraps in urban areas and harbors during their wintering period.

Scientific classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Laridae

Genus

Chroicocephalus

Species

brunnicephalus

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