{"id":775,"date":"2010-09-08T08:04:21","date_gmt":"2010-09-08T14:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=775"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:38:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T18:38:31","slug":"pinto-bean-gulls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/09\/08\/pinto-bean-gulls\/","title":{"rendered":"Pinto Bean Laughing Gulls"},"content":{"rendered":"

On several occasions, I have seen and photographed aberrant Laughing Gulls with strangely colored markings on their bills and legs. I\u2019ve assumed they\u2019re partially leucistic, though I could be wrong. I just call them ‘Pinto Bean’ Laughing Gulls for lack of a better term.<\/p>\n

\"PintoPinto Bean aberrant Laughing Gull – D200, handheld, laying in the sand, F5.6, 1\/250, ISO 400, 80-400mm VR at 360 mm, fill flash used, red-eye strobe return.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Laughing Gull image above was taken on October 5, 2008. The light was horrible, it was spritzing rain, and the sea breeze was kicking up choppy waves.<\/p>\n

The local weatherman had predicted better weather, but I had my flash unit with me along with my BetterBeamer, so I gave it a shot with this unusual-looking gull.<\/p>\n

I rarely use flash, probably less than .0001% of the time, but in this case, my photos would have looked really cruddy without it.<\/p>\n

This gull didn\u2019t seem to be accepted well by the other Laughing Gulls. It stayed off by itself but still close to the flock.<\/p>\n

\"PintoAnother partially leucistic, aberrant Laughing Gull? –\u00a0 D200, handheld, laying in the sand, 1\/400, ISO 125, 80-400mm VR at 310mm, natural late afternoon light<\/span><\/p>\n

The photograph above was taken on December 18, 2008, in the same general area of Florida as the first image I posted of an aberrant Laughing Gull.<\/p>\n

I do not believe this is the same bird, the patterns of color on the legs and bill are different.<\/p>\n

Again, in my observation of this particular anomalous Laughing Gull, I noticed that the other Laughing Gulls seemed to keep their distance from it, though it also appeared that this gull wanted to be close to the flock resting on the spit of sand between the Gulf of Mexico and a tidal lagoon.<\/p>\n

I have seen other Laughing Gulls in that location with this pinto bean coloration on their legs and bills, and these were my best images of them.<\/p>\n

I know that in some species, they tend to ignore or chase off their leucistic kin, and I have wondered if that was also the case with these two unusual “Pinto Bean” Laughing Gulls<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both gulls are in non-breeding plumage, and I do not know what they might look like during mating season.
\nLife is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Laughing Gull photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On several occasions I have seen and photographed Laughing Gulls that have strange colored markings on their bills and legs. I have assumed that they are partially leucistic though I could be wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[163,25,704,188,13594,2000],"tags":[13484,16600,16245,215,4077,3539,521,3995,3456,3455,4160,1003,5515,7876,1008],"class_list":["post-775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bird-identification","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-laughing-gulls-gulls","category-leucistic","category-pinellas-county-florida","tag-abberant","tag-anomalous","tag-bare-skin","tag-bird-id","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-laughing-gull","tag-leucism","tag-leucistic","tag-leucophaeus-atricilla","tag-odd","tag-partially-leucistic","tag-pigment-issues","tag-strange"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/laughing-gull-pinto-mia-mcpherson-4765.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-cv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7300,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/28\/the-answer-to-the-gull-and-tern-quiz-is\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":0},"title":"The Answer To The Gull And Tern Quiz Is…","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The majority of you voted for the correct answer: Juvenile Herring Gull, 1st winter Laughing Gull and Royal Tern","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Royal Tern in breeding plumage with gift for mate, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/royal-tern-breeding-mia-mcpherson-6391.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/royal-tern-breeding-mia-mcpherson-6391.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/royal-tern-breeding-mia-mcpherson-6391.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/royal-tern-breeding-mia-mcpherson-6391.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39116,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/02\/franklins-gull-and-laughing-gull-comparison\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":1},"title":"Franklin’s Gull and Laughing Gull Comparison","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I know this isn't a complete Franklin's Gull and Laughing Gull comparison but I'm not a scientist, just a bird photographer and bird lover.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull chasing Brine flies, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14499,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/04\/adult-and-juvenile-laughing-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":2},"title":"Adult and juvenile Laughing Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Laughing Gulls are commonly seen at Fort De Soto County Park but novices to birding and bird watching might think they are three different kinds of gulls depending on their age and plumage.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flying adult Laughing Gull in breeding plumage, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-2909.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-2909.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-2909.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-2909.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1648,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/12\/17\/laughing-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":3},"title":"Laughing Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Laughing Gulls are quite common on the east and Gulf coastlines of the US, during breeding season they are usually found near saltwater but in nonbreeding season they are known to wander widely.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Laughing Gull in breeding plumage in a blue lagoon, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-in-blue-mia-mcpherson-6732.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-in-blue-mia-mcpherson-6732.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-in-blue-mia-mcpherson-6732.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-in-blue-mia-mcpherson-6732.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7277,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/26\/gull-and-tern-quiz\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":4},"title":"Gull and Tern Quiz","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I came across this image this morning while working up my post Bird images from warmer days and all at 300mm or less and thought it might make a great image for a Bird ID Quiz.","rel":"","context":"In "Bird ID"","block_context":{"text":"Bird ID","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/bird-identification\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Herring and Laughing Gulls and a Royal Tern, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gulls-tern-mia-mcpherson-7874.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gulls-tern-mia-mcpherson-7874.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gulls-tern-mia-mcpherson-7874.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gulls-tern-mia-mcpherson-7874.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8989,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/07\/26\/why-do-they-call-them-laughing-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":775,"position":5},"title":"Why Do They Call Them Laughing Gulls?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Laughing Gulls are quite noisy when they are in a flock but I never minded listening to them, in fact they often made me laugh.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Laughing Gull in breeding plumage, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/laughing-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-8988.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/laughing-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-8988.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/laughing-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-8988.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}