Size: This gull is 37–44 cm long with a 94–110 cm wingspan and weighs 190–400 g.

Vocalisations: It is a noisy species, especially in colonies, with a familiar "kree-ar" call. Its scientific name means laughing gull.

Habitat: It breeds in colonies in large reed beds or marshes, or on islands in lakes, nesting on the ground.

Behaviour: The black-headed gull is a bold and opportunistic feeder. It eats insects, fish, seeds, worms, scraps, and carrion in towns, or invertebrates in ploughed fields with equal relish. A migratory bird. 40,000-50,000 couples nest in Latvia.

Interesting facts: The summer adult has a chocolate-brown head (not black, although does look black from a distance), pale grey body, black tips to the primary wing feathers, and red bill and legs. The hood is lost in winter, leaving just two dark spots. The black-headed gull displays a variety of compelling behaviours and adaptations. Some of these include removing eggshells from one's nest after hatching, begging co-ordination between siblings, differences between sexes, conspecific brood parasitism, and extra-pair paternity. This bird has a good appetite and is quite voracious. It eats about 200-230 grams of insects per day. The black-headed is a very noisy and 'grumpy' bird - an impression reinforced by the fact that these birds usually live in large flocks. There is constant noise on the breeding grounds. Fights are frequent. Also, often small things cause arguments: say two birds start fighting over a piece of fish, and a large part of the colony immediately intervenes.

Photo: pixabay.com, Ligita Karvele