Common name:
Swallow-tailed gull
Scientific name:
Creagrus furcatus
Spanish name:
Gaviota de cola bifurcada
Conservation status:
Least Concern
Average size:
53 centimetres
Maximum size:
57 centimetres
Average weight:
625 grams
The swallow-tailed gull is the only species in the genus Creagrus, which comes from the Latin and Greek words for butcher or meat. It is thought that this refers to their hooked bill, reminiscent of a butcher’s hook.
They are the world’s only nocturnal gull, foraging mainly for squid at night, though they also hunt small fish. Their eyes are adapted for night vision. They are significantly larger than those of other gulls, and have a unique tissue layer that reflects light back through the retina, making them particularly sensitive to light.
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