Larus cachinnans - yellow-legged gull

	DISSEMINATION

Geographic Range	it nests from the Black Sea and from the Caspian Sea to Kazakistan; it regularly visits Europe, most of all in autumn and winter. During winter it is also found in the eastern Mediterranean but some of them can even reach the Red Sea.
Physical Characteristics	lower parts and the neck are white, while the back and the wings are silver grey. The beak and the paws are yellow, the tips of the wings are black. There is a red spot on the beak. The juvenile birds acquire the plumage of the adults in the fourth year of age and before that they look brown with white spots. It has no sexual dimorphism.
Behaviour	it adapts easily to anthropized environments as they are rich in food.
Habitat	it lives mainly on shores and rarely moves towards the inland.
Food habits	it is omnivorous; it feeds on vegetable substances, on both alive and dead animals and on trash. Recently predation has started to take place in urban areas to the detriment of pigeons.
Migration	in Italy it is sedentary; in winter it moves more and individuals of other populations might join the colonies.
Nidification	it builds the nest with dry vegetation and it lays there from 2 to 3 eggs which are light brown-greenish and have dark spots. Nidification occurs in colonies; after an incubation of 25-27 days eggs hatch and the young disperse straightaway; after 40 days they are able to fly.

Sources
References	Oiseaux.net Ecologia urbana - Rivista per lo studio e la conservazione della biodiversità urbana
Web References	http://www.oiseaux.net/ http://www.ecologia-urbana.com/
Source of the photo	http://aves.desdeinter.net/
Source of the call	http://www.learningalive.co.uk/