Description:

Larger, stockier and flatter-crowned gull, with more rounded wing-tips and broader bill. Adult has broad black wing-tips (broken by white 'mirrors') and white patch on outer wing; underside to primaries largely black; iris pale yellow. In breeding plumage, hood paler brown than Black-headed's.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through Gilgit-Baltistan, rare in Ghizer, Shigar and Ghanche. Usually make short stops around lakes, marshes, streams and rivers with nearby vegetation and grasslands. During passage from lowlands up to 3500m high.

Behavior:

Often feeds in shallow water, by immersing head and neck. Catches termites by aerial hawking. In winter, associates with boats and consumes refuse. Feeds on fish, shrimps, offal; also insects, grubs, slugs, earthworms, sewage, potatoes, rodents and plant shoots; occasionally winged termites.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Brown-headed Gull in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Brown-headed Gull

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.