Recently, a laughing gull, a migratory bird from North America, has been sighted for the first time in the country at the Chittari estuary in Kasaragod district.
About Laughing gull:
The bird is known for its unique laughter-like calls which resemble human laughter.
Habitat: These are a coastal species and are only occasionally seen very far inland.
Distribution: These birds are mainly found on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.
Diet: They are opportunistic carnivores and scavengers. They eat mainly fish, shellfish, crabs, molluscs, insects, bird eggs, and young birds.
Features
These are medium-sized gulls with fairly long wings and long legs that impart a graceful look when they are flying or walking. They have stout, fairly long bills.
They take 2-3 years to gain adult plumage.
Conservation Status
IUCN: Least Concern
What is an estuary?
An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean.
When freshwater and seawater combine, the water becomes brackish, or slightly salty.
Types of Estuaries
Coastal plain estuaries: These are created when sea levels rise and fill in an existing river valley.
Tectonic estuaries: It is formed due to the shifting together and rifting apart of the Earth's crust.
Bar-built estuaries: When a lagoon or bay is protected from the ocean by a sandbar or barrier island, it is called a bar-built estuary.
Fjord estuaries:These are a type of estuary created by glaciers. Fjord estuaries occur when glaciers carve out a deep, steep valley.
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