Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull

Spcial Photos

A large flock of black-headed gulls is a sight that gives poetic charm to winter in Kyoto. However, acording to "Watching Urban Birds" by Koichi Karasawa, KODANSHA, 1992, it was in 1974 that they came there for the first time.
The book say the birds visiting Kyoto have a night roost in BIWA-LAKE, Shiga. Since the MANO-RIVER is connected to BIWA-LAKE, the birds also visit the river, but not so many birds do.
During most of their stay in Japan, the head of these birds is not black but white. So the birds are called "Lily gull" in Japan. In April or May just before they return nothern countries, they change their feathers, and their heads turn black.

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