General Overview
The family Laridae includes gulls, terns, and skimmers—medium to large seabirds found across nearly every continent and ocean. These birds are highly adaptable, occupying both coastal and inland habitats, and are well known for their opportunistic feeding habits. With more than 100 species worldwide, Laridae play important ecological roles as scavengers, predators, and indicators of marine and freshwater ecosystem health.
Appearance
Larids are generally slender to robust birds with long, pointed wings, strong bills, and webbed feet adapted for swimming and foraging. Gulls are typically stocky with slightly hooked bills, while terns are more graceful, with slim bodies, deeply forked tails, and slender straight bills. Skimmers are distinctive for their unusually elongated lower mandible, which they use to slice through water while feeding. Plumage is often a combination of white, gray, and black, sometimes with bold breeding-season markings on the head or bill.
Diet
Larids are omnivorous and highly opportunistic feeders. Gulls scavenge widely, eating fish, invertebrates, carrion, and even human refuse. Terns specialize more on small fish and aquatic invertebrates, diving from the air to catch prey.Skimmers feed in a unique way by flying low over water with their lower bill cutting the surface to capture small fish and crustaceans. This dietary flexibility allows many species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
Habitat
Members of the Laridae family inhabit coastal regions, estuaries, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, with some gull species also adapting well to urban and agricultural landscapes. Terns are strongly tied to aquatic habitats, often found along seacoasts, river systems, and inland lakes. Breeding typically occurs in colonies on beaches, islands, or sandbars, where they can take advantage of open ground for nesting.
Behavior
Larids are generally social, often gathering in large flocks for feeding, roosting, and breeding. Many gulls are bold and opportunistic, frequently interacting with human settlements. Terns are agile fliers, engaging in aerial courtship displays that involve fish offerings and synchronized flight. Skimmers exhibit specialized feeding behaviors unique among birds. Most species nest colonially, with pairs defending small territories within dense groups. Vocalizations are loud and varied, serving as important signals in colony communication and mate bonding.
