Bird Description

Common on coast, particularly on beaches, in public areas and anywhere people are eating! This is the bird that is always screaming (hence the name), checking you out as you work on your sun tan, and always trying to pinch your food. Very approachable. Colonial, nesting in back bay marshes. ID: 3-yr, dark-mantled, fairly small gull. Rangy with long neck, wings, and legs. In flight, slim with lazy buoyant flight. Bill long and drooping. Ad br: dark-mantled. Dark brown hood (often appears black). White eyelids. Bill and legs usually bright red but can be dark. Extensive dark in outer primaries merging with gray (very little white). Ad nonbr: duller bare parts. Smudges on head strongest on ear coverts and rear edge of hood. 2nd-w: similar with more black in wing and some black in tail. Juv: appears warm brown with broad buff fringes to upperparts. Broad black tail band. Gray rear neck and breast sides. Gray mantle and scapular molted in early winter. Some juv feathers remain by spring. Neck and breast whiter. Most develop partial hood.