Tarapunga the Red-billed Gull - Chroicocephalus scopulinus

            Sitting on the beach at Akaroa and contemplating the last night of our cruise, this red-billed gull demaned some of my lunch. I refused, whereupon he scolded me furiouly!
is a native of New Zealand, being found throughout the country and on outlying islands including the Chatham Islands and Sub-antarctic islands. The Red-billed Gull is a fairly small gull with an all-red bill, red eye ring, red legs and feet, pale grey wings with black wingtips. The rest of the body and tail are white. There is virtually no visual difference between the male and female birds. The immature gulls have a dark brown bill with only hints of red. The legs are also brown and there are brown spots on the grey wings.

It is the smallest gull commonly seen in New Zealand; a recent estimate of the population puts it at half a million birds in the country. Until recently it was regarded as a subspecies of the Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae found in Australia, and the two species are very similar in appearance. However the most recent research suggests that they are not particularly closely related. Behaviourally, the Red-Billed Gull is a typical gull. It is an aggressive scavenger and kleptoparasite. Since European settlement its numbers have increased, especially around coastal towns and cities where it can scavenge from urban waste. It normally feeds on small fish, shell fish and worms (from pastures), and sometimes berries, lizards and insects.
   

Taken in: New Zealand / Canterbury / Akaroa (show map)

Taken on: November 14, 2011

Tags:

gull

bird

tarapunga

Chroicocephalus

Chroicocephalus scopulinus

nature

wildlife

seabird

cruise

Canon « less

Sets appears in: • New Zealand Gulls • Cruise flora and fauna more » • Best birds • Native Birds of New Zealand « less

Camera: Canon EOS 400D, 1/500 sec, 200mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 400D
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	200mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Metering Mode:	Average
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	QuickTime 7.6.6
Show full info

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