GULLS AND TERNS   -   LARIDAE

Swallow-tailed Gull Creagrus furcatus Genovesa Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. The world's prettiest gull? I think it is. Fitting that they only breed on the Galapagos, rightly called Las Islas Encantadas, The Enchanted Islands.

Andean Gull Chroicocephalus serranus Antisana reserve, Napo province, Ecuador. The middle one is in breeding plumage with a complete dark hood, the right one is just coming into it, and the left one is still in non-breeding plumage.

Gray-hooded Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus cirrocephalus Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba province, Argentina. In non-breeding plumage. This species also occurs in Africa.

Lava Gull Leucophaeus fuliginosus Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. Endemic to the Galapagos. While this gull can be seen fairly easily on most visits, BirdLife estimates the population at only 600-800 individuals, making it one of the rarest gulls in the world.

Snowy-cowned Tern Sterna trudeaui Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba province, Argentina. Mixed in with some Gray-hooded Gulls (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus). A long-distance digiscoped shot in the wind, but the distinctive head and bill pattern are still visible.

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