Grey-headed Gull

Description:

Also known as Larus cirrocephalus, or Grey-hooded Gull. It is a smaller gull, some 40cm in length. Breeding adult has a neat grey hood, dark red bill and yellow eyes surrounded by pink-red ring, and dark red legs. It also shows grey back and upper-wings; with pure white chest, belly and neck. Juvenile birds (photo 5), instead of a well-defined hood, show greyish smudges.

Habitat:

Large flock of these gull seen at Turkana lake, mixed with Lesser black-backed Gull. It is a locally common bird in sub-saharan Africa, around fresh and alcaline waters.

Notes:

During my last mission, I was really lucky to catch some two hours free to go and catch a ride on lake Turkana. Lake Turkana is saline desert lake and the biggest water mass of Rift valley lake system. Currently, this lake is in danger - over the past decade, Ethiopia has embarked on a massive plan which includes constructing dams, developing water-intensive irrigated cotton and sugar plantations, and irrigation canals and other infrastructure in Ethiopia’s Omo River Basin. These developments are predicted to dramatically reduce the water supply of Lake Turkana, as Omo River provides 90 percent of the water in it. Dramatic reductions in freshwater input from the Omo River into Lake Turkana will increase levels of salinity in the lake and raise water temperatures, decimating fish breeding areas and mature fish populations. Higher air temperatures will increase rates of evaporation, further increasing salinity while reducing biological productivity... which would later on influence the entire ecological system.