Saunders's Gull
Encyclopedia
Saunders's Gull is a species of gull
in the Laridae family.
It is found in China
, Hong Kong
, Japan
, North Korea
, South Korea
, Macau
, Russia
, Taiwan
, and Vietnam
.
Its natural habitat
s are estuarine waters and intertidal marsh
es.
As many other gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus
Larus
, but based on phylogenetic work some have moved it to Chroicocephalus
, while others argue it is sufficiently distinct for placement in the monotypic
Saundersilarus.
It is threatened by habitat loss. One of its few remaining strongholds are the Yancheng Coastal Wetlands
, which hosts about 20% of the world's population.
The Saunders' Gull is named after British ornithologist, Howard Saunders
.
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
in the Laridae family.
It is found in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are estuarine waters and intertidal marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es.
As many other gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Larus
Larus
Larus is a large genus of gulls with worldwide distribution . Many of its species are abundant and well-known birds in their ranges...
, but based on phylogenetic work some have moved it to Chroicocephalus
Chroicocephalus
Chroicocephalus is a genus of medium to relatively small gulls which were once included in the genus Larus. Some authorities also include the Saunders's Gull in Chroicocephalus...
, while others argue it is sufficiently distinct for placement in the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
Saundersilarus.
It is threatened by habitat loss. One of its few remaining strongholds are the Yancheng Coastal Wetlands
Yancheng Coastal Wetlands
The Yancheng Coastal Wetlands refers to the wetlands in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, China.It is named after the Dongbei and Liao Rivers is connected to the Songnen Plain through the Yellow River Valley; a small plain lies north of Dongting Lake in the west....
, which hosts about 20% of the world's population.
The Saunders' Gull is named after British ornithologist, Howard Saunders
Howard Saunders
Howard Saunders was a British businessman, who later in life molded himself into a noted ornithologist.-Biography:...
.