Travel East Coast United States

Travel East Coast United States

Travel East Coast United States

Sea gulls are found in all coastal areas of the United States. On the East Coast, there are several common species of these birds that are often seen. Some of the most common types of coastal birds, in addition to shorebirds, fowl, and herons and egrets, gulls feed primarily on marine life. Below are the most common sea gull birds of America's Atlantic coast.

Laughing Gull, Most Common Sea Gull on the East Coast

The laughing gull (Sterna atricilla) is a small gull that is very common on the Atlantic coast. This gull averages about 16.5 inches in length. Breeding laughing gulls have black heads with red bills, blue-gray backs and wings, and white undersides, but the black fades to white on their heads in late fall, and stays light in winter and early spring. Juvenile birds look like the adults during the colder, nonbreeding months, except they have brown wing feathers. Like other gulls, laughing gulls eat fish, crustaceans, and squid (dead or alive), and any food scraps or trash that they can find. These sea gulls can be found everywhere from New Foundland to South America, and they can be heard calling "ka ka ka ka kaaa kaaaaa kaaaaa, kiew."


  • Travel East Coast United States

    Travel East Coast United States

    Travel East Coast United States

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