laughing gull

noun

1. a North American gull, Larus atricilla, having a high, laughlike call.

Word History and Origins

Origin of laughing gull¹

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Example Sentences

During the clean-up efforts, crews recovered three dead, oiled birds from around Swan Lake: two brown pelicans and a laughing gull.

From Seattle Times

Potential bird sightings include gadwalls and buffleheads, dazzling ducks like the common goldeneye and the red-breasted merganser and tons of gulls, including the laughing gull and the ring-billed gull.

From New York Times

The calls of a thousand laughing gulls are loud enough to drown out human thought.

From Seattle Times

Last weekend, at the beach, I watched a bunch of children stand agape as four laughing gulls hovered a few feet above them for what felt like minutes.

From New York Times

The sky above was empty; a few laughing gulls patrolled the ocean’s edge.

From New York Times