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Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

The Laridae family, consisting of approximately 100 species across 22 genera, includes widely recognizable seabirds such as gulls, terns, skimmers, and kittiwakes. Originating from the French scholar Rafinesque in 1815, this family has experienced various taxonomic reclassifications over time, once separating gulls from terns and skimmers into distinct families. However, molecular studies now support the grouping of these birds under Laridae to reflect their evolutionary relationships more accurately. These seabirds, whose lineage split from that of skuas and auks before the end of the Cretaceous period, have been soaring the skies since the early Paleocene, some 60 million years ago, although there is debate regarding the accuracy of these early dates. Gulls, along with skimmers and noddies, are unique among shorebirds for developing ultraviolet vision. The global distribution of Laridae is a testament to the adaptability of these mostly aerial creatures, whose earliest ancestors were shorebirds.

Regions

A photo of a African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris)

African Skimmer

Rynchops flavirostris
A photo of a Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea
A photo of a Armenian Gull (Larus armenicus)

Armenian Gull

Larus armenicus
A photo of a Audouin's Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii)

Audouin's Gull

Ichthyaetus audouinii
A photo of a Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus
A photo of a Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

Black Tern

Chlidonias niger
A photo of a Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia
A photo of a Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)

Bridled Tern

Onychoprion anaethetus
A photo of a Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)

Brown Noddy

Anous stolidus
A photo of a Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

Caspian Gull

Larus cachinnans
A photo of a Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia
A photo of a Common Gull (Larus canus)

Common Gull

Larus canus
A photo of a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo
A photo of a Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan
A photo of a Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)

Glaucous Gull

Larus hyperboreus
A photo of a Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)

Glaucous-winged Gull

Larus glaucescens
A photo of a Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus
A photo of a Great Black-headed Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)

Great Black-headed Gull

Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
A photo of a Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

Greater Crested Tern

Thalasseus bergii
A photo of a Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
A photo of a Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica
A photo of a Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Herring Gull

Larus argentatus
A photo of a Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)

Iceland Gull

Larus glaucoides
A photo of a Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

Kelp Gull

Larus dominicanus
A photo of a Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla
A photo of a Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

Laughing Gull

Leucophaeus atricilla
A photo of a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus
A photo of a Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)

Lesser Crested Tern

Thalasseus bengalensis
A photo of a Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutus
A photo of a Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

Little Tern

Sternula albifrons
A photo of a Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
A photo of a Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis
A photo of a Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)

Roseate Tern

Sterna dougallii
A photo of a Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)

Sabine's Gull

Xema sabini
A photo of a Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)

Sandwich Tern

Thalasseus sandvicensis
A photo of a Saunders's Tern (Sternula saundersi)

Saunders's Tern

Sternula saundersi
A photo of a Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei
A photo of a Sooty Gull (Ichthyaetus hemprichii)

Sooty Gull

Ichthyaetus hemprichii
A photo of a Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)

Sooty Tern

Onychoprion fuscatus
A photo of a West African Crested Tern (Thalasseus albididorsalis)

West African Crested Tern

Thalasseus albididorsalis
A photo of a Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)

Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybrida
A photo of a White-cheeked Tern (Sterna repressa)

White-cheeked Tern

Sterna repressa

White-eyed Gull

Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus
A photo of a White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

White-winged Black Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus
A photo of a Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis
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