Laughing Gulls

Description:

Laughing Gulls are medium-sized gulls with fairly long wings and long legs that impart a graceful look when they are flying or walking. They have stout, fairly long bills. Laughing Gulls are medium gray above and white below. Summer adults have a crisp black hood, white arcs around the eye, and a reddish bill. In winter, the hood becomes a blurry gray mask on a white head. The legs are reddish black to black. Immatures are much browner and more subtly patterned than adults; they take 2-3 years to gain adult plumage.

Habitat:

Gulf of Mexico beach at the end of Hwy.124 on High Island, TX. just below from the Houston Audubon Society, Boy Scouts Woods Sanctuary. The Houston Audubon Society operates four bird sanctuaries in the area, and the city is a nationally famous destination for birdwatchers particularly from April 1 to May 15.

Notes:

High Island is an unincorporated area located in the Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. High Island's name comes from the large salt dome under the area. This salt dome raises the elevation of the area to around 38 feet, giving High Island the highest elevation of any point on the Gulf coast from Mobile, Alabama to the Yucatán Peninsula. High Island, is a wooded area in the midst of a vast wet prairie. Migrants crossing the Gulf of Mexico see these oak mottes as an oasis in the middle of this endless flat prairie.