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The peak of this is the black headed gull, which doesn't have a black head and the black head it doesn't have isn't there all year round either
is it at least a gull? Or is it the Holy Roman Empire of birds?
It is a gull. But as said, it has its black head (which is brown) for about two months of the year.
Jan 27, 2026 12:16I have just learned that in 2005(ish) it was removed from the genus Larus and placed with nine others in the resurrected genus Chroicocephalus, which means that until recently even the sort of gull it was was incorrect.
Thankfully chroico- means coloured rather than black, which would have been the final insult.
Bless this incredible birdnerd thread and all who pedant in her 💯
See, the problem is that now I have had 1 (one) encouragement to nerd about bird words specifically, that's now what I'm most likely to post.
