Seabirds

Swallow-Tailed Gull

Animal Group: Seabirds
Scientific Name: Creagrus furcatus
Animal Average Size: 51 - 57 cm [:es]51 - 57 cm
Animal Average Weight: 0.61 - 0.78 kg

Swallow-Tailed Gull Gallery

Swallow-tailed Gulls (Larus furcatus) mating on the rocks with the sea background

couple Swallow-tailed Gull in Galapagos Islands, over the rocks

Swallow-tailed Gull brooding in the middle of the rocks in Galapagos

Swallow-tailed Gull with feathers raised with the wind in Galapagos Islands

Swallow-tailed Gull with chick fresh out of the egg in Galapagos Islands

Swallow-tailed Gull with wings spread on a rock in Galapagos Islands

couple Swallow-tailed Gull in Galapagos Islands, mutual preening

Swallow-tailed Gull chirping on a rock in Galapagos Islands

Swallow-tailed Gull in Galapagos Islands with a baby swallow tailed gull

Galapagos Islands, Swallow-tailed Gull eye close up

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More about Swallow-Tailed Gull

The swallow-tailed gull is endemic to the Galapagos and can be seen all around the archipelago. They prefer areas with warmer water in the eastern islands. When they are not breeding, they travel long distances and feed out of the sea as far as south Peru and Chile.

They feed mainly on squid and fish found in the surface on nocturnal shifts. Nocturnal fishing is unusual among gulls.

Their nests are located on the rocks, bare lava and cliff areas in the shoreline of most islands. Females lay 1 egg that hatches 35 days later. Chicks spend about 3 months with their parents before they are independent.

They make several vocalizations, most of which are to communicate with others in the colony. They can warn others individuals when intruders are near the nesting sites and by several aggressive postures towards intruders.