Laughing Gulls Have the Last Laugh

Forrest M. Mims III

“Black-headed Gulls are not unfrequently seen hovering over the inner ponds of these islands, as if in search of food. They are now all paired, and very noisy.” So wrote James Audubon on April 26, 1837, about the gulls he observed in Galveston Bay, Texas.

Both laughing gulls and Franklin's gulls are also known as black-headed gulls. The head of the adult laughing gull is black except for a white circle around each eye. The upper body feathers are gray, while those below are white, except the ends of the wings, which are black. Franklin's gull is very similar except for its white wing tips. While laughing gulls reside along the U.S. coast, Franklin's gulls can be found throughout central North America.

While all flying insects and birds can provide wonderful watching for those fascinated by flight, laughing gulls rank high on the viewing list. It's especially fun to watch them hover in the wave of air that forms over sea walls and behind boats.

Figure 1. These laughing gulls were photographed after sunset with the help of a flash. Photograph by Forrest M. Mims III.

It's easy and fun to make photographs of laughing gulls. Even an inexpensive camera can provide first class photos if you're careful.

During a recent trip to Corpus Christi, Texas, I learned a new way to photograph laughing gulls. Just wait until the sun has set and use a camera with a flash. This can provide almost surrealistic images in which the closest gull is more brightly illuminated than its companions and almost appears in three dimensions.

The T Heads on the Corpus Christi bay front provide an ideal setting for watching and photographing gulls and other water birds. You can photograph hundreds at a time simply by waiting for a returning shrimp boat to pass. Or you can attract your own flock with some bread crumbs.

Caution is advised when feeding gulls, for not everyone approves the practice. Some cities even have laws banning the feeding of gulls and pigeons. We can turn to Audubon's visit to Galveston Bay in 1837 to find one reason why:

“I observed to-day [May 4] that at the single cry of a Black-headed Gull, all others within hearing at once came towards the caller, and this never failed when any of them had found floating garbage on which to feed.”

As Audubon suggested, there's a reason why some refer to a flock of these noisy birds as a “scavenging of gulls.” While you may be delighted by the camera angles provided by a few dozen or more laughing gulls, nearby people may not.

They may be especially annoyed by you and the gulls if they are trying to have a picnic. So it's best to plan your feeding strategy accordingly.

If you're among those who don't appreciate the antics of gulls and the gifts they sometimes drop from the sky, just be thankful you're not a pelican.

Some gulls will stalk a pelican hunting for fish and attempt to steal its catch. Audubon once observed a brown pelican emerging from its dive when suddenly a gull ". . . alighted nimbly on its very head, and with a gentle stoop instantly snatched from the mouth of its purveyor the glittering fry that moment entrapped!”

Forrest M. Mims III and his science are featured online at www.forrestmims.org and www.sunandsky.org. "World of Science" columns are selected and sometimes revised from columns published in the San Antonio Express-News or the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. The columns are intended for a general audience.