Quick identification
Laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
A medium gray-backed gull. Breeding adults have a black hood, white eye arcs and red bill; winter adults show a smudged head.
Season and local range: Abundant year-round resident.
Habitat and island setting
Beach, bay, parking areas, docks and any place human food is easy to obtain.
Where to look
Every part of the island can hold laughing gulls, from the beach to the causeway and restaurant districts. Birds may move as tides, wind, fronts, water levels and activity at the site change.
What the bird is doing
Feeding gulls encourages crowding and aggressive scavenging. Secure trash, never toss food from a vehicle and keep fishing tackle away from birds.
Watching birds
Use binoculars or a camera zoom, stay on public paths and leave feeding, resting and nesting birds enough room to continue normal behavior. If a bird stops feeding, stands alert, calls repeatedly or moves away because of you, increase the distance. Check access information in the South Padre Island birding guide before making a special trip.