Laughing gull

Laughing gulls feed on almost anything, from fish and crabs to picnic scraps. They steal food from pelicans, sometimes landing on a pelican's head to take fish from its pouch.

They nest in large colonies on marsh islands and beaches.

Laughing gulls were nearly wiped out on the Atlantic coast in the late 1800s, when their feathers were used on hats. Protection brought them back, and today they are one of the most familiar birds of Georgia's beaches. They clean up dead fish and other waste along the shore.

Nest — A bowl of grass on marsh islands or beaches, in colonies
Eggs — Usually three
Incubation — About 22 to 27 days
Chicks — Downy; stay near the nest, fed by both parents
Flight — At about five weeks
Lifespan — Wild birds over twenty years are recorded

• Gulls fed from boats and beaches become bold; not feeding them keeps them wild.
• Fishing line and hooks are a leading cause of injury in gulls.
• A young gull alone on the beach is often a fledgling still being fed by its parents.

• Gulls are "sea gulls" that live only at sea. Most gulls, including this one, live on coasts and rarely go far from land.

• Bonaparte's gull
• Ring-billed gull
• Franklin's gull