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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 Aleutian Tern (Onychoprion aleuticus)

Aleutian Tern

Onychoprion aleuticus
A photo of a American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus
A photo of a Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea
A photo of a Belcher's Gull (Larus belcheri)

Belcher's Gull

Larus belcheri
A photo of a Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus
A photo of a Black Noddy (Anous minutus)

Black Noddy

Anous minutus
A photo of a Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger
A photo of a Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)

Black-tailed Gull

Larus crassirostris
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 Cabot's Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus)

Cabot's Tern

Thalasseus acuflavidus
A photo of a California Gull (Larus californicus)

California Gull

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

Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia
A photo of a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo
A photo of a Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)

Elegant Tern

Thalasseus elegans
A photo of a Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Forster's Tern

Sterna forsteri
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 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 Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni)

Heermann's Gull

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

Iceland Gull

Larus glaucoides
A photo of a Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea)

Ivory Gull

Pagophila eburnea
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 Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex)

Large-billed Tern

Phaetusa simplex
A photo of a Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

Laughing Gull

Leucophaeus atricilla
A photo of a Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)

Least Tern

Sternula antillarum
A photo of a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus
A photo of a Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutus
A photo of a Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris)

Red-legged Kittiwake

Rissa brevirostris
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 Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea)

Ross's Gull

Rhodostethia rosea
A photo of a Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)

Royal Tern

Thalasseus maximus
A photo of a Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)

Sabine's Gull

Xema sabini

Short-billed Gull

Larus brachyrhynchus
A photo of a Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus)

Slaty-backed Gull

Larus schistisagus
A photo of a Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)

Sooty Tern

Onychoprion fuscatus
A photo of a Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrus furcatus)

Swallow-tailed Gull

Creagrus furcatus
A photo of a Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)

Western Gull

Larus occidentalis
A photo of a Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)

Whiskered Tern

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

White-winged Black Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Yellow-footed Gull

Larus livens
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