General

Laughing Gull: Medium-sized gull with gray back and white underparts. Head has black hood, neck is white, and bill is red. Wings are gray and white-edged except at tips; tail is white. Legs and feet are black. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has a gray-streaked cap and dark bill with red tip. Juvenile has brown upperparts and head, dark bill and legs, and thick black tail band. Juvenile has brown upperparts and head, black bill, and white tail with broad black terminal band. 1st winter resembles juvenile but begins to show gray on back and white on face; 1st summer resembles breeding adult but has gray wash on neck and sides, black and white mottled hood, and black bill; 2nd winter resembles winter adult but has grayer underparts and dark partial terminal band on tail.

Range and Habitat

Laughing Gull: Lives mainly on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S., ranging from Maine down through Florida and Texas. Spends winters regularly north to Virginia, in smaller numbers farther north. Found in salt marshes, lagoons, and coastal beaches.

Breeding and Nesting

Laughing Gull: Three olive to buff eggs marked with brown are laid in a ground nest lined with grass and weed stems, and built on sand or in a salt marsh. Eggs are incubated for 20 days by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Laughing Gull: Feeds on fish, crabs, snails, insects, eggs, and chicks.

Vocalization

Laughing Gull: Call is loud, high-pitched "ha, ha, ha, ha."

Similar Species

Laughing Gull: Franklin's Gull is smaller, shorter-billed, rounder-headed, and has shorter wings; breeding adults have darker primary tips, paler primary undersides, and a white bar between gray upperwing and black primaries.